‘Trek Tamil Nadu’ will destroy forests, wildlife, alleges petition before Madras High Court

CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu government’s initiative to promote trekking in reserved forest areas would harm the environment and wildlife, alleged a petitioner, who sought the Madras High Court to issue a direction to cancel it.

The State government launched Trek Tamil Nadu as a unique eco-tourism project to open 40 trekking trails across the State.

According to a Daily Thanthi report, the petitioner, S Muralidharan, said allowing trekking in protected forest areas would harm the environment and wildlife. Noting that there are 38 elephant corridors in Tamil Nadu, he said if trekking was allowed there, it would disrupt the animals’ food source and breeding activities due to human movement.

"Ever since eco-tourism started, it only destroyed the flora and fauna across India… Repeated trekking can cause soil compaction and erosion along pathways, which disrupts the forest floor and affects water runoff patterns. This can lead to loss of topsoil, which is vital for plant growth, and potentially alter habitats,” he said in the petition.

"The presence of humans, especially in large numbers or noisy groups, can cause stress and disrupt wildlife. Animals may change their feeding, breeding, or migration habits to avoid human presence, leading to less access to vital resources,”

He also highlighted the risk of disease transmission to wild animals from humans and their pets, and possibility of environmental pollution caused by food wrappers and plastic water bottles that are discarded in the forest by visitors.

The petition is expected to come up for hearing before Chief Justice KR Shriram on Monday (November 11).

Trek Tamil Nadu is a joint venture by the State Forest Department and the Tamil Nadu Wilderness Experiences Corporation. It was launched by Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on October 24.