Udhagamandalam: In a bid to keep Ooty town clean, the district administration has decided to impose a fine of Rs 1,000 for littering in public places from May 1.
“We have invited volunteers for policing littering in the town during the summer season. Named ‘Green Brigade’, they will be given identification cards and authorised by the administration to collect the fine by issuing receipts,” collector J Innocent Divya said.
This year, the summer festival will showcase interesting events such as night bazaar and vegetable shows in farmers’ markets. The night bazaar will function on the Commercial Road, considered as the heart of the town, between 6pm and 10pm. “Apart from the two-day vegetable show to be inaugurated on May 5 at Nehru Park in Kotagiri, all uzhavar sandais in the district will showcase vegetables grown in the hills and the plains in a decorative manner throughout the month of May,” said Divya.
Also, to promote responsible tourism and in respect of the fragile ecology of the Nilgiri hills, carrying plastic bags and transporting gas cylinders for cooking in the open is strictly prohibited in the Nilgiris. Tourist vehicles will be checked at the check posts in all the entry points.
Moreover, tourist buses and tempo travellers will not be allowed inside the town. The vehicles, that used to enter the town through Kotagiri, Coonoor and Gudalur, will be stopped at specific parking lots, earmarked for the purpose. “Transit mini buses of TNSTC and private operators will be provided as circuit buses throughout the town. Tourists can utilise the services to reach tourist spots and to reach their staying places,” said Divya.
The road starting from Charing Cross Junction till Casino Junction, a stretch of 600metres, will be vehicle-free zone during the period, the collector added.
The administration has arranged for temporary eateries to facilitate the tourists.
On an average, 3,000-5,000 vehicles arrive in the town a day during the summer season. Normally, the hill retreat witness around 10 lakh footprints in May alone.