MADURAI
Trekking trails in Kurangani will be reopened starting September 5 after the government imposed a ban on using them during the summer.
Although the Tamil Nadu Forests and Wildlife Areas (Regulation of trekking) Rules 2018 specifies that trails should be closed between February 15 and April 15 to avoid hiking in hills during the peak summer, the path was opened for a total of nine months later to ensure safety.
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Fires start in January, increase in February and peak during March. With drier summers, the wait had been longer, said an official from the department.
District Forest Officer S. Gowtham said, “We waited to ensure that there was enough rain so that the grass is wet enough and fires will not occur.”
Trekking at the Kurangani hills was shut down on March 11, after a forest fire tragedy claimed the lives of 20 persons. The authorised 11.4 km pathway from Kurangani to Top Station via Central station reopened on December 30, 2018.
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Mr. Gowtham said that trekkers must procure a written permission from the Forest department to trek on the route. He added that those who are climbing till Top Station cannot stay there and must come back to the authorised camping spot located at Kurangani.