Entry to the Kambathrayan Giri Perumal temple in the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) has been restricted on Purattasi Saturdays following a recent forest fire in the hill area.

In a release, the Forest Department said the restrictions had been imposed in the interest of public safety and forest protection. The fire had damaged grasslands and small vegetation, while rocks in some areas remained highly heated. Burnt vegetation, loose soil, and rocks could pose a risk of slips, falls and falling rocks, it said.

Only tribal people and local residents from the Sathyamangalam and Kadambur areas will be permitted to visit the temple for worship on Purattasi Saturdays. They must obtain permission from the Forest Department and produce valid identity cards.

Visitors have been advised to enter the forest between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. and leave by around 3 p.m. People from outside these areas have been prohibited from entering the hill area for safety reasons.

Photography banned

Photography and videography have also been prohibited in the protected forest area. The department warned that legal action would be taken against those violating the restrictions and posting photographs or videos on social media.

Visitors have been instructed not to smoke, consume alcohol, light fires, carry inflammable materials or throw plastic and other waste in the forest. They have also been asked not to approach, follow or disturb wild animals.

The Forest Department appealed to visitors to follow the safety instructions and cooperate with its personnel. The fire, which broke out on September 1, was doused after three days of intensive efforts by more than 100 Forest Department personnel, with support from local people.