Pilgrims continue to discard clothes in stream in Vellingiri hills near Coimbatore
The Hindu
Andisunai stream near Coimbatore polluted by trekkers dumping clothes, prompting calls for responsible pilgrimage and conservation measures.
Andisunai, a pristine stream at the sixth hill of the Vellingiri hills near Coimbatore, has turned into a dumping site as trekkers discard their used clothes after taking bath in the ongoing pilgrimage season.
Devotees, who trekked the hills recently, said the stream and places around it have been polluted with discarded clothes.
“Many pilgrims were found leaving their used clothes in the stream itself after taking bath. When the stream bed is full of clothes, pilgrims who come next move them to the side where they have been piled up,” said a Coimbatore native, who trekked the hills a few days ago.
D. Senthilkumar of Velandipalayam, a devotee, said dumping clothes at the stream after taking a bath is a non-customary practice. It started over the years and measures should be implemented to curb it, he said.
Along the 6.5 km trekking route from the Vellingiri Andavar temple at Poondi to the summit at the seventh hill, volunteers have placed notices appealing to the trekkers not to pollute the hills.
Andisunai is one of the important streams in the Vellingiri hills, which is known for its rich biodiversity and is a part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve. The place comprising six contiguous hills falls under the Boluvampatty forest range and is home to key species such as elephant, tiger, leopard, king cobra, rare birds, insects and a large variety of flora.
“Vellingiri hills is an ecologically fragile area, where steps should be taken by the authorities to control the inflow of people and impose strict conditions. Other activities, including stalls along the trekking routes, should also be banned. Like the carrying capacity of important hill stations were considered to impose restrictions on tourists, measures should be taken to ensure responsible pilgrimage,” said K. Kalidasan of ‘Osai’ environmental organisation.
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