COIMBATORE: In the lush Anamalai tiger reserve where at least 28 tigers are on the prowl, over 20 resorts have sprouted illegally, offering night safaris into the deep forests of Valparai and Attakatti ranges for tourists. Several coffee and tea estates, which are on a 99-year-lease, have opened resorts for tourists seeking wild adventure. Most of these resorts have no approvals from either the district administration or the forest department. The forest department has slapped cases on these illegal resorts, but the forest officials claim they have no powers to shut down the resorts.

The Director, (in-charge) of Anamalai Tiger Reserve, Srinivas Reddy told DC, “I have inspected the illegal resorts in Valparai range. The forest department has registered a case against these resorts. But the forest department has no power to remove these resorts infrastructures, as they are located inside the tea and coffee estates. We have given the recommendation to the Hill Area Development Authority Committee, headed by the district collector. This committee has the power to take legal action against these resorts.”