The Confederation of Environment Associations of Nilgiris (CEAN) has urged that the Nilgiris District Collector, M.Aruna, issue instructions to stop construction work around the Ooty lake and boat house as well as the Udhagamandalam railway station since the National Green Tribunal has taken suo moto cognisance of the protests against the destructions of the wetlands.
The chairperson and coordinator of CEAN, Surjit K. Chuaudhary, a retired IAS officer, said civil society groups and citizens’ collectives had clearly highlighted that the building of a zipline and rope bridge across the Ooty lake, as well as the destruction of the wetland surrounding the railway station were in violation of the Hill Station Building Rules, 1993 of the Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, and were also in contravention of the Master Plan of the district.
