A total of eight trekking routes from Coimbatore have found place in the 40 trekking spots that will be featured in the online trekking atlas, which is being developed by the Tamil Nadu Forest Department.
A jungle route in the Siruvani hills towards the Kerala border, Vellingiri hills, Melmudi near Periyanaickenpalayam, Mettupalayam –Burliar stretch and a jungle route in Madukkarai forest range are the places from the Coimbatore Forest Division, said N. Jayaraj, District Forest Officer.
Of these routes, trekking is allowed at the Vellingiri hills for a three-month period from February to May every year. Devotees also climb Melmudi hills to visit Ranganathar temple with permission from the Forest Department.
Top Slip - Pandarvarai, Aliyar canal banks and a jungle trail at Manambolly are the other three trekking routes from Coimbatore district that have been included in the trekking atlas, said Bhargava Teja, Deputy Director of the Anamalai Tiger Reserve (ATR). The three places fall under the Pollachi Forest Division of ATR.
Meanwhile, nature enthusiasts wanted the Forest Department to exercise extreme care while conducting treks at these eight spots to avoid pollution and disturbance to the wildlife.
“First of all, the trekking offered at these places should not be an adventurous activity. It should be a Nature learning experience. Those who come for trekking should not be allowed to cause any damage to the ecosystem or cause pollution by littering. Also, many of these places are known to have the presence of wild animals, including elephants. Hence, people also need to be careful”, said K. Kalidasan of Coimbatore-based Osai environmental organisation and member of State Board for Wildlife.
He also wanted the Department to limit the number of people allowed to these trekking spots across the State.
“Of late, many people approach trekking through protected areas as an adventure activity. They get disappointed when they are not able to see wild animals like elephant, gaur and deer. This attitude should change. Trekkers should learn to observe and appreciate the diverse flora, birds and insects, too,” said S. Bharathidasan, another member of the State Board for Wildlife and founder of non-governmental organisation Arulagam, which is engaged in vulture conservation activities.
Forest Minister M. Mathiventhan had announced in the Assembly on Tuesday about the trekking atlas and stated that his Department would soon launch a website to book treks. Basic infrastructure would be developed at the 40 routes at a cost of ₹4 crore.
Published - June 27, 2024 08:14 pm IST
