Tamil Nadu forest fire: Trekking organiser says followed rules, blames farmers

Chennai:
The Chennai-based group believed to have arranged the ill-fated trekking expedition to Kurangani Hills where 11 members were killed in a forest fire, on Tuesday claimed the team had received an “entry pass” to proceed with their mission.
It also blamed local farmers for the fire that engulfed the area, killing some of the trekkers on a women's trek to commemorate women's day.
Majority of the members were women, though there were male volunteers who accompanied them.
“We came to know that on Saturday, March 10, the group started off from Kurangani at the base and paid fees at the forest entry check-post who issued an entry pass,” an ‘update' on the website of Chennai trekking club (CTC) said.
It may be recalled the state government had said the trekkers had not obtained required permission for the expedition.
Tamil Nadu chief minister K Palaniswami had on Monday said: “Without permission, they embarked on a trekking expedition.Trekkers should climb hills only after taking the government's nod”.
During the summer months of March, April and May permission to trek is not given as the high forest ranges are dry with the possibility of forest fires spreading fast, he had said in Salem.
In its ‘update' today, the group said the trekking route from the base at Kurangani to Kollukumalai on top was a regular and a clear trail created by local villagers and trekkers.
On Saturday morning when the group started to trek, there was no sign of fire in the entire forest range and by evening it had reached Kollukumalai tea estate at the top and camped there, it said