COIMBATORE: A couple of days after the launch of 40 trekking routes across Tamil Nadu, concerns were raised over the selection of Velliangiri Hill as one of the trekking routes in the Coimbatore district.
Unlike other trekking routes, as this route is not newly launched and is already in use by devotees across the state, the selection of this route has caused a controversy as the forest department officials were only allowing devotees for a couple of months.
This year after the Madras High Court’s direction, the forest department has extended the worship period to four months (From February 9 to May 31).
An environmentalist on condition of anonymity, questioned that as the forest department has been restricting devotees to visit the temple throughout the year, citing wild animal movement, and other forest degradation, etc, and have only been allowing them for a couple of months in a year, now their decision to allow trekkers throughout the year. ‘Will this not damage the environment?’
Sources from the forest department stated a team from the Tamil Nadu Wilderness Experience Corporation has randomly selected Velliangiri Hill as one of the 40 trekking routes without conducting any verifications. They could have made this choice due to media reports.
Nine people died due to health complications while climbing the hill during this four-month festive season.
While the devotees are allowed to worship during March and April after trekking the hard, sloppy, and slippery terrain, now the forest department has allegedly fixed Rs 5,099 for a trekker for 12 km.
However, the forest department officials have clarified that the devotees will not be charged during the two months and the trekkers will only be allowed after the festive season.
Sources from the Coimbatore forest department added that they have passed information to the senior officials in Chennai to withdraw the Velliangiri hill from the trekking route and clarified that the route was selected for the benefit of the tribal people.
“Last time, the Court allowed the devotees for our months and now we will pray to the Madras High Court that they (the forest department) can allow only two months due to the death and increasing rush,” sources added.