DINDIGUL: Days after the Madras High Court ordered the Tamil Nadu government to introduce an e-pass system for tourists visiting the Nilgiris and Kodaikanal from May 7, the Kodaikanal Hotels and Resorts Association has sought the order’s annulment and threatened to hold back food and lodging services to tourists.
The court order was aimed at decongesting the hill stations, which usually witness a huge influx of tourists during the summer months.
The order also asked the district collectors to ensure that the visitors furnish details of their vehicles, number of people travelling, and the number of days of stay, among other information.
On Saturday, the association members held a consultative meeting in Kodaikanal. They want Chief Minister MK Stalin to cancel the e-pass system, and threatened to hold back on services like food and hotel rooms for tourists visiting Kodaikanal.
The association members have also urged the officials concerned and the elected representatives to regulate the traffic and ensure other facilities in order to control the footfall.
Two tourist killed in hornet attack
Two tourists from Coimbatore city were killed after they were stung by hornets at a waterfall near Kotagiri on Saturday afternoon. The deceased have been identified as Karthikeyan (53) and Rajaseakar (52), both residents of Peelamedu in Coimbatore city. The deceased along with nine others were returning after bathing at the Hadathorai waterfall near Kotagiri when the incident happened. According to sources, hornets got disturbed after one of them allegedly stoned them. Soon, a swarm of hornets stung them.