Officials demolished 33 private waterfalls near Courtallam in Tenkasi district
Madurai: Officials demolished 33 private waterfalls near Courtallam in Tenkasi district on Monday after complaints from farmers and environmentalists over the diversion of natural streams for tourism.
Water descending from the Western Ghats had been intercepted using concrete barriers and canals and diverted into ponds and artificial drops, said R Vinoth, a Tirunelveli resident. “Waterfalls were created at places where none had naturally existed,” he said.
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Restoring a watercourse altered over years is a different task,” said Sakunthala. The private tourism business nevertheless returned around Mekkarai near Adavinainar dam. “The walls can be knocked down in hours. Download the TOI App.
On Monday, revenue, forest and water resources officials brought in earthmovers, demolished the concrete barriers and reopened stretches through which water had once flowed naturally.
A case filed in the Madras high court in 2022 alleged that some facilities catered to celebrities and VIPs, while others attracted tourists looking for an alternative to the crowded public falls at Courtallam. Separate charges of Rs 1,000-Rs 5,000 were collected for bathing, massage, parking and stays,” said Tenkasi resident R Sakunthala. A 2022 water resources department communication flagged unlawful waterfalls there and sought their removal and protection of water sources and agricultural land. In January 2023, the court ordered inspections, including drone surveys inside forests, and directed authorities to shut illegal waterfalls, prosecute owners, examine permits and instances of deforestation, and act against officials found colluding with operators.
The diverted streams had become the centre of a private tourism economy, with eateries, drinking spaces, changing rooms and cottages built around them, forest officials said. Farmers said the barriers reduced the flow of water to their fields, while soap, plastic and bottles entered channels used for irrigation. “Jeep rides over rough tracks and hours-long bathing sessions became part of the attraction. Some of the facilities had also come up on land belonging to Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam, a centuries-old Saivite monastic institution, after plots leased to private parties were allegedly misused. The Madras high court warned that diversion of the flows could affect fish, birds, snakes and other wildlife, deplete rivers and disturb the Western Ghats ecosystem.
Farmers had earlier alleged that operators earned lakhs of rupees every month.