Order of the Madras High Court (W.P.No.28257 of 2022) regarding plea for fixing the carrying capacity of Adhi Karuvannarayar temple located in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, Erode district, Tamil Nadu.

The temple is in the core area of the tiger reserve forest and as per the guidelines, the carrying capacity would be 29 vehicles. During the temple festival, large number of persons gather against the norms and guidelines. During the temple festival (Masi festival), a large number of persons gather against the norms and guidelines, the petitioner said and it is not regulated by the authorities.

The authorities say the carrying capacity is of 76 vehicles. But the petitioner said that "a large number of devotees (up to 50000) gather during the festival time and all sorts of pollution is made". The food is prepared at the site. Devotees stay at night. The liquor bottles are also carried. The firewood is also damaged. The authorities are not taking appropriate steps to protect the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve.

However the authorities informed the court that only about 5000 to 7000 pilgrims attend the temple festival and the pilgrims do not stay at the night time. The temple has been in existence for centuries and the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve came into existence subsequently. All efforts are taken by the authorities to protect the tiger reserve forest.

The Chief Conservator of Forests and Field Director, Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, Erode grants permission to conduct the Karuvannarayar Temple Festival as per the conditions mentioned in the letter of the Deputy Director, Sathyamangalam Forest Division, Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve and follow the norms and regulations in the Tiger Conservation Plan and as per the existing guidelines.

Devotees will be allowed to stay in the temple premises only on the night of the festival and only the temple administrators will be allowed to stay in the temple premises. A monitoring committee will ensure that the devotees leave the forest area before 5 pm and cross the Karachikorai check post on the last day of the festival. A maximum of 100 vehicles per day only should be inspected at the check post and allowed for the festival. These would be some of the conditions to be followed during the temple festival, the authorities submitted.

Further, it would be ensured that the participants of the festival do not engage in any activities like burning firewood, dumping garbage, staying inside the forest, and polluting the Moyar river water.

The High Court directed that the steps proposed to be taken by the authorities should be implemented during the festival (scheduled in the month of February 2024).

The HC listed the matter for March 15, 2024 and directed the authorities to submit a status report.