Stating that the night ban on vehicle movement between Bannari and Hasanur check-posts was affecting the livelihoods of lakhs of people and causing panic among people in the hill area, former Bhavanisagar MLA P.L. Sundaram has urged the State government to intervene and take steps so that the night ban is revoked and alternative steps are taken to protect wild animals.
In a letter sent to the Chief Minister, the former MLA said that the Madras High Court had on February 8 asked the Forest Department to implement the Erode District Gazette’s 2019 notification that bans movement of heavy commercial vehicles from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. and light commercial vehicles and other four-wheelers transporting passengers from 9 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the stretch that passes through the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR). Though the notification was implemented in 2019, it did not give the desired result. Instead, it led to traffic congestion during the day time and total chaos prevailed, forcing the administration to withhold the notification, the letter said.
Mr. Sundaram said that without considering the welfare of the people or their livelihoods, the ban, which focused on wildlife protection, could not be implemented. He said that the ban was implemented [for the second time] from February 10, and vehicles piled up during the day time, the next day. “Ambulances, school students,workers, government staff or the common public could not go from Talavadi to Sathyamangalam on time, affecting all”, the release said.
He said that 75,000 people were living in 10 panchayats in Talavadi, whose main income was from agriculture. Due to the ban, transporting vegetables to the market at Mettupalayam has been affected for the past two days, he added. The letter wanted the government to point out the problems in Court and wanted the ban to be revoked.
