T.N. Forest Minister Mathiventhan criticised for staying at partially-closed ‘illegal resort’ in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve

Tamil Nadu State Forest Minister M. Mathiventhan’s vacation to the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), where he has chosen to stay in one of the resorts located along the notified elephant corridor in Sigur, has raised concerns among conservationists.

According to official sources, Mr. Mathiventhan has been staying in ‘Jungle Hut’ for the last few days on vacation with friends and family. Jungle Hut was among 12 other resorts against which orders were passed by the Supreme Court-appointed ‘Segur Plateau Elephant Corridor Inquiry Committee’ in 2023.

The inquiry committee had made the observation that the resorts - Jungle Hut, De Rock, Rolling Stones, Forest Hills Farm and Guest House as well as Jungle Retreat and Gordon Jungle Properties - had in total 74 buildings on their premises. This showed that it was “amply evident that these are not small bona fide residential buildings but big commercial constructions without all requisite approvals,” the committee had observed in their orders passed last year, directing the Nilgiris district administration to initiate “necessary action” against the owners and calling for the illegal buildings to be demolished or for the owners to voluntarily dismantle them.

Officials from the Nilgiris district administration said that a portion of the resort where Mr. Mathiventhan is staying was allowed to function by the administration. However, since the orders were passed, no further action has been initiated to demolish the buildings along the elephant corridor, raising concerns among conservationists that government officials are colluding with the resort owners in maintaining the status-quo in the region.

K. Mohanraj, a noted conservationist from Tamil Nadu, said that the State’s forest Minister staying in a resort built in the elephant corridor raised questions of impropriety and collusion with the resort owners.

“There are forest department-run guest houses in Mudumalai. There is no need for the forest Minister to stay in a resort, part of which has been deemed to have been functioning illegally,” he said. Further, he charged that close associations with big businesses by Ministers raised questions as to whether the government was serious in protecting the notified elephant corridor.

When contacted, Mr. Mathiventhan, told The Hindu that he was staying in Mudumalai and in the resort “on vacation.” He said that he and his family found it difficult to handle children while staying in the forest guest houses and so they chose to stay in a private property.