The seventh eco-development committee of The Nilgiris for protection and maintenance of Dodabetta peak was inaugurated by District Forest Officer C. Badrasamy on Wednesday.
Dodabetta peak at 2,623 metres above mean sea level happens to be the tallest peak in South India and Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) has installed a telescope for the benefit of tourists. Using the telescope, tourists can see the scenic landscapes of the Queen of Hills and also parts of Ooty, Coonoor, Wellington, Kundah, Coimbatore and parts of Karnataka and Kerala.
Located on the Udhagamandalam – Kotagiri road, tourists used to flock this peak and buses are being operated from Udhagamandalam and people coming by Udhagamandalam – Kotagiri – Udhagamandalam buses get down at the entry point and used to take private vehicles i.e., jeeps for reaching the telescope point. Earlier, Forest Department used to regulate the visitors by collecting toll and it was stopped some time ago.
Now, with the formation of the seventh Eco Development Committee with merchants and jeep drivers in the area, Forest Department has entrusted the job of collecting the toll i.e., Rs. 5 for two-wheelers, Rs. 15 for Light Motor Vehicles and Rs. 40 for heavy vehicles. The funds will be turned into a corpus for the committee and used in for development of the Dodabetta peak and for carrying improvements besides providing loans and revolving fund for the committee members.
The committee will also be actively involved in preventing the entry of plastic waste into the peak and in combating forest fire, if any.
