Kozhukumalai Hills route where 23 trekkers died in forest fire last year continues to remain closed.
A view of the forest fire in the Kurangani range (File photo)
Chennai:
“There are applications from the trekkers since last month and from Thursday they are processed as per the 2018 trek norms formulated by the state Forest Department,” S Gautham, district forest officer, Theni told DT Next.
There are six ranges in Theni division manned by 32 forest guards and 12 foresters. All the vacancies have been filled and a few foresters are now under training. For every fifth person, a trained ecotourist guide will accompany the trekkers and the foresters will supervise.
Aspiring trekkers can also directly contact the Theni forest office for details and charges will be collected as per the government orders, the DFO said confirming that the Kozhukumalai route is banned for treks. The Forest Department had also roped in 18 local residents as ecotourism watchers on temporary basis to assist the department, DFO said.
According to Theni foresters, the state is yet to open the online booking facility and the number of applications will increase when the bookings are made online. In Tamil Nadu, after the new policy an easy trek per person cost Rs 200, Rs 350 for medium trek and Rs 500 for tough treks.
The Kurangani trek trail is about 11.4 kms with moderate and easy trek routes. From Kurangani a person can reach Kerala’s pristine Pampadum Shola by trekking for 4 km, but the same via road is about 100 km via Munnar. As Kurangani is mostly free from elephant movements, trekkers prefer the route.
According to Forest Department insiders, tough restrictions, payment for every trekker had affected the trekking activity. Now with the Theni forest division coming out with the notification, safe treks will be possible in other forest divisions.
District forest officers have been permitting only those keen on it. More than 90 per cent of trek permissions that came after Kurangani incident were rejected till March 2019.
The Forest Department on Thursday resumed trekking in the infamous Kurangani trek route in Theni forest division. However, the route leading to Kozhukumalai Hills where 23 trekkers died in a forest fire last year is closed as unauthorised.
“There are applications from the trekkers since last month and from Thursday they are processed as per the 2018 trek norms formulated by the state Forest Department,” S Gautham, district forest officer, Theni told DT Next.
There are six ranges in Theni division manned by 32 forest guards and 12 foresters. All the vacancies have been filled and a few foresters are now under training. For every fifth person, a trained ecotourist guide will accompany the trekkers and the foresters will supervise.
Aspiring trekkers can also directly contact the Theni forest office for details and charges will be collected as per the government orders, the DFO said confirming that the Kozhukumalai route is banned for treks. The Forest Department had also roped in 18 local residents as ecotourism watchers on temporary basis to assist the department, DFO said.
According to Theni foresters, the state is yet to open the online booking facility and the number of applications will increase when the bookings are made online. In Tamil Nadu, after the new policy an easy trek per person cost Rs 200, Rs 350 for medium trek and Rs 500 for tough treks.
The Kurangani trek trail is about 11.4 kms with moderate and easy trek routes. From Kurangani a person can reach Kerala’s pristine Pampadum Shola by trekking for 4 km, but the same via road is about 100 km via Munnar. As Kurangani is mostly free from elephant movements, trekkers prefer the route.
According to Forest Department insiders, tough restrictions, payment for every trekker had affected the trekking activity. Now with the Theni forest division coming out with the notification, safe treks will be possible in other forest divisions.
District forest officers have been permitting only those keen on it. More than 90 per cent of trek permissions that came after Kurangani incident were rejected till March 2019.