A road being laid to Dolphin’s Nose, one of the most frequented tourist spots in Kodaikanal, could threaten the Indian Gaur and deer corridor, as it runs close to the Kodaikanal Wildlife Sanctuary, activists say.
According to local activists, the popular spot, situated near the villages of Vattakanal and Thiruvalluvar (TV) Nagar, is presently only accessible by a footpath through TV Nagar. In 2019, four alternative routes were surveyed to connect this tourist spot by a motorable road to Vattakanal village, but there was no further official communication and the issue became dormant. Suddenly, road work commenced on March 2, one day after Revenue Department officials and a few Forest Department staff visited and inspected the route to be implemented. There was no prior intimation to any of the stakeholders, no notice was served and no compensation scheme was offered to local residents, who would be adversely affected by the road, said an activist, requesting anonymity.
Part of the road falls within Vellagavi – Chinnur village, listed as a village in an eco-sensitive zone, under the ESZ notification of the Kodaikanal Wildlife Sanctuary. As per the ESZ notification, construction and felling of all kinds of trees require prior permissions from the competent authorities, the activist says.
