CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has sought a report from the state government on the action taken against unauthorised resorts, lodges, cottage and homestays being run under the 'bed and breakfast' licence in the Nilgiris district and Kodaikanal in Dindigul district.
A special bench of justices N Sathish Kumar and D Bharatha Chakravarthy, handling forest related cases, directed the government to file the report in four weeks.
The court had, during the previous hearing, ordered the constitution of a three-member committee headed by the respective district revenue officers that would inspect the homestays and check whether they have permissions, and initiate action against unauthorised facilities that provide accommodation for tourists.
When the matters came up for hearing on Friday, Additional Advocate General J Ravindran, assisted by special government pleader T Seenivasan, filed a status report on the issues.
The AAG informed that 920 show cause notices were issued against tourist accommodations in the Nilgiris and final orders were passed in 844 cases, while 76 have been sealed.
The report noted that the violations included conversion of residential buildings into commercial accommodation units without change of land use, operating without licenses, tourism registration, fire safety clearance and construction of additional structures beyond the approved plans.
However, the bench remarked that the authorities are not taking appropriate action in an expeditious manner. It directed the state to file a report on the action taken for sealing unauthorised homestays.