The appearance of unauthorised sheds in Kongahalli, a village in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, has shocked naturalists and environmentalists.

The sheds were constructed for the benefit of pilgrims visiting the Mallikarjuna Swamy temple. K. Mohan Raj of the Tamil Nadu Green Movement (TNGM) said five years ago there were only a few sheds. “Every year, the temple authorities as well as the local panchayats without obtaining permission from the Forest officials have constructed the sheds illegally. At present, there are 20 sheds,” he said.