Night travel ban through Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve not to be relaxed

CHENNAI:  A Madras High Court special bench comprising Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy, on Wednesday, refused to relax the night travel ban enforced on Dhimbam-Bannari Ghat road running through the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) in Erode district.

While dismissing a petition filed by the Sathyamangalam Lorry Owners Association seeking to modify the night travel ban passed by the High Court on April 6, the bench stressed the need for preserving the tiger reserve.

The bench also emphasised the need for preserving the natural resources of Tamil Nadu saying that the State has got an abundance of such resources. It also compared the serene Meghamalai in the Theni district to Switzerland.

Besides preserving the flora and fauna, the bench said water resources must also be conserved for tackling the twin dangers of floods and drought. It may be noted that the first bench on April 6 banned the operation of certain types of heavy commercial vehicles on the road on the Coimbatore-Bengaluru NH. According to the order, vehicles with 12 wheels and above and truck/trailer with a total weight of 16.2 tonnes and above were banned to operate during the night.

However, trucks and trailers with up to 10 wheels and with weighing less than 16.2 tonnes are permitted to ply through the ghat road from dawn to dusk with a speed limit of 30 km per hour on the plains and 20 km on the ghat section.

Referring to passenger bus operation, the court allowed buses between 6 am to 9 pm and two-wheelers and three-wheelers as well. Heavy vehicles ferrying vegetables and fruits from the local villages;  and ambulances and vehicles used for emergencies/ medical purposes, including that of doctors/paramedical staff and regular health workers and doctors, were exempted from the ban.