The Hindu : Mudumalai sanctuary thrown open

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Apr 18, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Mudumalai sanctuary thrown open

By Our Staff Reporter

All set for a jumbo ride at the Mudumalai Wild Life Sanctuary in the Nilgiris.

Udhagamandalam April 17. The Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary is back in business. The sanctuary had remained closed since February 15 due to acute drought and increasing threat of jungle fire. The throwing open of the sanctuary yesterday was greeted by a large number of tourists.

With the media having announced the proposal to re-open the premier tourist attraction, a large number of peregrinators from various parts of the country thronged the place.

The District Forest Officer, Nilgiris (North) Division, A.K.Ulaganathan, who is holding additional charge of Mudumalai, told The Hindu here that four elephants and three vehicles were stationed at the Theppakkadu camp for tourists wishing to see wild animals from close quarters. While a makhna (tuskless male elephant) `pensioner' had been brought to Theppakkadu, 20 trained elephants were kept at the Bambax camp, another part of the sanctuary where there was adequate water.

Arrangements for water

The recent rain benefited the western part of the sanctuary, including Bennai and areas adjoining Nellakottah.

While storage in Ombetta reservoir and some of the 50 check dams had improved, artificial replenishment of other water holes was being done. However, the Theppakkadu-Kallatty belt was totally dry. To draw the animals to `healthier' parts, salt licks were put up at various places. As the Bandipur National Park was also dry, movement of animals was towards Wyanad.

Mr.Ulaganathan said the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board was requested to release water into the Moyar, which ran through the sanctuary from the T.R.Bazaar weir.

For the north division abutting Mudumalai, an appeal to release water from the Sandynullah dam into Chemmanatham was made. For rainwater harvesting, 34 check walls were constructed in the north division.

Though arrangements for "comfortable" accommodation had been made for tourists at nine guest houses and dormitories of the Forest department at Mudumalai, there was a heavy demand for rooms.

A youth hostel of the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation at Theppakkadu, which had been taken over by the Forest department, would be returned to the corporation shortly.

Ninety fire watchers in Mudumalai and 60 in the north division would be in a constant state of alert.

Pollachi wildlife sanctuary opened

Our Coimbatore Staff Reporter reports:

The Indira Gandhi Wildlife Sanctuary at Top Slip near Anaimalais at Pollachi has been thrown open for tourists visiting during day-time, the wildlife warden, V. Ganesan, said today.

The sanctuary was closed in March due to drought and to enable maintenance and rest-house facilities. With stray showers, the availability of water has improved in the sanctuary. The permission for night halt and allotment of rest house accommodations would be given from May 1, the warden said.

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