The District Forest Officer, Coimbatore, has sent a communication to the Isha Yoga Foundation asking it to take precautionary measures during the conduct of Shivaratri celebrations at its campus situated close to the Pooluvampatti block II reserve forest.
The advisory was served to the Foundation based on an order of the Madras High Court issued in connection with the conduct of Shivaratri celebrations in 2013.
The advisory, dated February 18, also stated that the Forest Department will not be responsible or liable to award compensation for any attack by wild animals on visitors of the Foundation or their properties inside the forest or forest fringes during the celebrations. The letter said that precautions had to be taken as wild elephants moving along the Siruvani - Maruthamalai migratory path may stray into farmlands during summer in search of fodder and water.
The Foundation was asked to avoid bursting of firecrackers, use of light systems that emit inordinate levels of light, and generators and public addressing system that create high levels of noise. The Department warned devotees from entering into reserve forest areas, littering of polythene bags, and food waste in the jungle.