Chennai: DMK leader M. K. Stalin on Monday blamed the state government for the Kurangani forest fire incident, which has claimed 17 lives. Initiating a debate in the state Assembly, he alleged that the forest department ignored fire alerts issued by the Forest Survey of India (FSI).
The Opposition leader termed the forest department inefficient and said that only 200 department staffers were getting alerts from FSI. Responding to him, Chief Minister Edapaddi K. Palaniswami said that a high-level probe by a senior IAS officer was underway.
The officer has been asked to submit his report in two months. Based on the report submitted by the official, necessary action will be taken. Coming to the rescue of the forest department, the CM clarified that the alert given by FSI was on February 15 and not during the time of tragedy.
In a detailed explanation, Palaniswami said that the tragedy occurred due to illegal stay at a tea estate in Kozhukkumalai. To reach the estate the trekkers trespassed in to Kottakudi forest without permission. The trekking team from Chennai had not obtained entry tickets to trek, whereas the other team from Erode obtained permission to reach Top Station but they took a route, which is not permitted for trekking, the CM said. He also said that state departments rescued ten trekkers without any injury and others were rushed to hospital within a short span of time.
The CM also mentioned that criminal cases have been registered against two organisations - Chennai trekking Club and Trek De India - for organising the illegal event endangering public life.
