COIMBATORE: The Madras high court has directed the Tamil Nadu forest department to enforce limitations on visitors to the Pykara Lake boat house in Udhagamandalam. The court also made permanent an interim order banning operation of mechanised boats in the lake.




A special bench of Justice N Sathish Kumar and Justice G K Muthukumaar for hearing forest and environment-related cases passed the order while hearing a batch of pleas involving issues related to conservation of forests and ecology of the hill station, including a plea seeking to declare the Western Ghats as a Special Eco-Sensitive Zone .




"Amplified music, artificial lighting, picnics and any other food stalls in and around the area are totally banned. Only the activities notified by the forest department shall be carried on. No new construction shall be permitted on the banks, except for the existing buildings as of now," the bench said.




The bench directed the forest department to assess the carrying capacity of the lake and prescribe a daily limit of visitors with entry by prior booking and also notify the activities that can be permitted and the timings.




The court recommended that the Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation (TTDC) allow viewing the lake from the bank and the boat house, guided nature walks on fixed paths, conducted by the forest department; and interpretation of the forest, the hydel scheme and the Toda heritage of the area.




It directed the TTDC officials to operate only rowboats, pedal boats or electric boats with low-power motors or no-wake speed.




According to a report filed by the Central Soil and Water Conservation Research, Demonstration and Training Institute, (ICAR-IISWC), Udhagamandalam, petroleum hydrocarbons in the water along the boating route of the lake are far above the permitted limit, while the water along the banks is nearly free of them. Therefore, the water does not meet the standard, and the contamination follows the path of the boats, it said.




The court adjourned the hearing to Dec 4 for filing further status reports.