A helicopter service to be launched in Mettupalayam from May 25 to 29 for locals and tourists to view the Nilgiris mountains has come as a shock to environmental activists.
According to an advertisement from JustFly Aviation, people can use the 10-minute helicopter service to see the Nilgiris range from the Mettupalayam sky at a rate of ₹3,999 per person. It also offers a 20-minute ride in which the chopper is expected to fly till Kotagiri hills and return to Mettupalayam.
Environmental activists wonder if the helicopter tourism has the necessary approvals from the aviation authorities and the Forest Department.
Activists in Coimbatore and the Nilgiris said that the areas the aviation firm planned to fly were wildlife zones, including elephant migratory routes and Hornbill nesting sites. Sorties at a low altitude would definitely affect wildlife, said an activist claiming that there was a ban on commercial helicopters operation over the Nilgiris.
Activists also said that the Mettuppalayam range was one of the most conflict-prone zones in the Coimbatore division, and the neighbouring Sirumugai was a crucial wildlife reserve.
Coimbatore forest division officials were not even contacted for permission by the aviation firm, and so were unaware of the facts. “Any disturbance to the habitat would adversely affect the Asiatic elephant population as Mettuppalayam, and Sirumugai happen to be the major congregation point for elephants that migrate from Coimbatore to Bhavanisagar and to the Nilgiris Biosphere Reserve,” said K. Kalidasan, president, Osai, a conservation NGO.
‘Pilots aware of rules’
“Already, the Kallar-Jakkanari elephant migratory corridor is disturbed. Such services should be offered only after an Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) study,” he notes.
Jusfly Aviation CEO S.N. Rajesh said the company was not offering helicopter service to Ooty.
He said that each helicopter trip would last 10 minutes giving customers a view of the Nilgiris hills from the sky above Mettupalayam.
The chopper would not be flown above forests and pilots were aware of the rules, he said.
Airports Authority of India officials confirmed that the company had obtained permission for local sorties at a prescribed altitude.
When contacted, Coimbatore Chief Conservator of Forests Deepak Srivastava said they had not received any communication from the aviation firm.
“Flying at low altitudes could disturb nature and wildlife. The Coimbatore DFO has been alerted. In case there are disturbances to the wildlife, we would definitely look into the matter and take up the issue with the appropriate authorities,” he said.
