The Madras High Court has directed the closure of eight resorts operating without valid permissions near Anaikatti, Coimbatore. District authorities have initiated legal proceedings to enforce the order and protect the forest habitat.

  • Madras High Court ordered the closure of eight resorts in Anaikatti lacking requisite approvals.
  • District Collector Pavankumar G. Giriyappanavar has initiated enforcement proceedings.
  • Only two resorts, My Village Eco and Darza Resorts, were found to have valid planning permissions.
  • The move aims to protect the critical elephant habitat in the Coimbatore forest division.

The district administration of Coimbatore has launched intensive proceedings following a landmark directive from the Madras High Court. The court has ordered the immediate closure of eight resorts functioning in the vicinity of Anaikatti, which were found to be operating without the necessary planning permissions and requisite licenses under the Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act.

A special Division Bench, comprising Justices N. Sathish Kumar and K. Rajasekar, issued the order after a committee led by the District Collector conducted field inspections. The committee, which included the Forest Range Officer and the Tahsildar, inspected private resorts in Veerapandi and Nanjundapuram village panchayats. The findings revealed a widespread lack of compliance with environmental and urban planning regulations.

Read Also:Jurel’s Century and Early SL Wickets Cement India’s Dominance in Colombo Test

Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that this judicial intervention is crucial for the preservation of the Nilgiri biosphere's fringes. Anaikatti serves as a vital corridor for elephant migration between Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The proliferation of unauthorized commercial establishments in these forest-adjacent zones poses a direct threat to wildlife stability and increases the risk of human-animal conflict.

The judicial crackdown on unauthorized resorts is a necessary step to prevent the irreversible degradation of sensitive forest ecosystems.

The list of resorts ordered to close includes SR Jungle Resort, Corniche Inn, Dolphins Resort and Restaurant, K.K.Selfie Point, Farm Retreat, Fire Fly Resort, Bharath Holidays Resort, and Gmax Resort and Restaurant. Interestingly, even the two resorts that possessed valid permissions, My Village Eco and Darza Resorts, only secured them as recently as July 2026, raising questions about long-term regulatory oversight.

Resort NameStatusPermission Status
My Village EcoOperationalValid (Recently Obtained)
Darza ResortsOperationalValid (Recently Obtained)
SR Jungle ResortClosure OrderedIllegal
Corniche InnClosure OrderedIllegal
Dolphins ResortClosure OrderedIllegal

Beyond the immediate closure, the High Court has mandated the District Collector to file a comprehensive progress report. Local activists have voiced concerns that the problem is much larger, alleging that at least 25 more resorts are operating in the region without any official documentation. The administration has confirmed that notices are being served to these additional establishments as part of an ongoing verification process.

Did You Know?: The Anaikatti region is a critical part of the elephant habitat along the Tamil Nadu-Kerala boundary, making its conservation a matter of national importance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1: Which resorts are specifically named in the High Court order?
Answer: The court named SR Jungle Resort, Corniche Inn, Dolphins Resort, K.K.Selfie Point, Farm Retreat, Fire Fly Resort, Bharath Holidays Resort, and Gmax Resort.

Question 2: What is the basis for the closure?
Answer: The closure is based on the lack of proper planning permission and requisite licenses as per the DTPC Act.