Railways, Tourism Department violating Wetland Rules in Udhagamandalam, says conservation group

Chairperson of the Confederation of Environment Associations of Nilgiris (CEAN), Surjit K Chaudhary, a retired IAS officer, has stated that both the Salem division of Southern Railways and the Tourism Department are in violation of the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 and has urged the District Collector to immediately stop work at both the project sites surrounding the Ooty lake.

In his letter, Mr. Choudhary stated that according to Rule 4, dealing with “any construction of a permanent nature except for boat jetties within 50 meters of the mean high flood level observed in the past ten years calculated from the date of commencement of these rules” is to be enforced by the State and district authorities.

He said it also directed authorities to list, notify, prepare and implement integrated plans to protect the wetlands by giving timelines. He said violation of the Wetland Rules attracted either a prison term or a fine amounting to ₹1 lakh.

CEAN highlighted the setting up of car park at Ooty Railway Station by the Southern Railways and the construction of a zipline and other adventure facilities around the Ooty lake and Boat House which were in violation of the Wetland Rules. It said the wetland surrounding the railway station was a collection point for flood water flowing into the lake and highlighted how the previous construction of the staff training centre had failed due to the innate unstable nature of the wetland soil.

“Unmindful of the environment factors, the present set of officers have started putting concrete to develop a car park which amounts to killing the wetland…which is punishable by the penal provisions of the Environment Protection Act, 1986,” the letter stated.

He also said the adventure park facilities coming up in the Ooty lake were being done by digging into the sub-soil and dumping huge amounts of concrete to support the structures. Trees would also have to be cut to make the project viable.

Due to the violations, CEAN urged the Collector to issue direction to immediately stop work at both the sites, and that both the Railways and the Tourism Department needed to be prosecuted for “having caused this criminality under the environment laws and initiate action to recover financial loss caused to the public exchequer,” he said.