Tamil Nadu initiates action against 42 illegal resorts in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve

Key facts

• The Tamil Nadu government informed the Madras High Court (HC) that 42 resorts were found operating without licences within the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR).
• The illegal establishments are located in the eco-sensitive zone of the STR in the Erode district.
• A joint inspection of 53 resorts, lodges, and farmhouses revealed that only 11 buildings possessed valid permissions and licences.
• The Madras HC bench, led by Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan, has granted the state three weeks to file a status report by 7 April.
• The enforcement action follows a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by R Karpagam regarding unauthorised constructions in the tiger reserve.
• The Erode District Collector reported that proper licences are mandatory for any construction within the eco-sensitive zone of the reserve.