Status Report Filed by the Chairman of the District Level Committee/ District Revenue Officer, The Nilgiris   I, M Narayanan, aged about 50 years

 

I, M Narayanan, aged about 50 years, serving as the District Revenue Officer,  The Nilgiris District solemnly affirm and state as follows

1.   I submit that in pursuant to the orders in WMP No.14765 of 2025 in W.P 15120 of 2019, dated: 25.04.2025, praying to direct the District Collector Nilgiris to take immediate action against illegal resorts, lodges, cottage, homestays operating under the bread and breakfast licence in the primary residential zones of the Nilgiris District and to integrate the licensed accommodation facilities into the e-pass system, a District Level Committee under the chairmanship of District Revenue Officer has been constituted by the District Collector, The Nilgiris vide proceedings Na.Ka. D9- 124/ 2016, dated 07.05.2025.

2.   I submit that this committee has been periodically conducting review meetings to monitor the progress of the action taken against the illegal hotels, resorts, homestays and Bed & Breakfast Establishments.

As per the directions of the Hon’ble High Court of Madras in WMP No.14765 of 2025 in W.P 15120 of 2019 dated 25.04.2025

“With reference to Bed and Breakfast, a detailed status report is filed. As per the Tabular Column furnished in Para No.10, it is stated that they have identified totally 920 illegal establishments and they have issued final orders in respect of 705 and locked down and sealed 76, while final notices are pending in respect of another 139. Though the said data is given, no further particulars are given as to what are the nature of violations found, what action was taken pursuant to the final orders that are passed, and if final orders are passed for closing down all the undertakings, why the 76 alone is closed while others are being allowed to 5 of 9 run and if there is no impediment such as interim orders in any Appeal, etc., which is filed, why the orders are not implemented immediately. The details as to how many of the establishments closed are large establishments, how many are medium sized and how many are small establishments, are also to be given. Let a detailed status report be given with reference to the action taken. Let an Annexure also be filed by way of a list containing the names of the establishments.”

I submit that the Status Report regarding illegal cottages, homestays, resorts and Bed & Breakfast establishments functioning in violation of existing laws and legal action taken against the violators as follows:

I submit that already 920 show cause notices issued to the establishments by the local authorities so far. It is submitted, the action taken against the illegal establishments by the local bodies are as follows.

S.No

1

Municipalities

(Ooty, Conoor, Gudalur, Nelliyalam, Kotagiri)

2

Rural Local Bodies

3

Town Panchayats

 

Total

 Details of the notices issued, lock and seal action in each local body, i.e., Municipality, Town Panchayat and Block-wise breakup is furnished below:    

 

Municipalities:

S.No

Municipalities

Notices

Given so far

Locked &

Sealed so far

1.

Udhagamandalam

120

21

2.

Coonoor

73

5

3.

Kotagiri

73

5

4.

Gudalur

66

10

5.

Nelliyalam

11

3

Total

343

44

   Blocks:

S.

No

Blocks

Notices

Given so far

Locked &

Sealed so far

1.

Udhagamandalam

259

12

2.

Coonoor

23

1

3.

Kotagiri

110

5

4.

Gudalur

60

0

Total

452

18

   Town Panchayats:

S.No

Town

Panchayat

Notices

Given so far

Locked &

Sealed so far

1.

Adhigaratty

40

8

2.

Hulical

16

0

3.

Ketti

62

3

4.

Kil Kundah

7

3

Total

125

14

I submit that 76 establishments have been locked and sealed so far. It is further submitted that final orders have been passed in respect of 844 establishments, out of which 25 establishments are found to be operating with valid statutory permissions, and therefore no coercive action has been taken against those 25 establishments.

 I also submit that  in the remaining cases, though final orders have been passed, enforcement is pending due to the requirement of verification of land use, building plan approvals, and reconciliation of data furnished by various Local Bodies.

I submit that  the violations include conversion of residential buildings into commercial accommodation units without change of land use, operating without licences, tourism registration, fire safety clearance and construction of additional structures beyond approved plans.

I submit that the complete list containing the name of the cottage/homestay/resort with the name of the owner or operator is furnished herewith as annexure (Annexure I).

I submit that there  5 municipalities in Nilgiris District out of which 3 municipalities viz., Udhagamandalam, Coonoor and Kotagiri have Master Plans. I submit that there are 106 Master Plan  violations are  identified so far in these Municipalities.

10.    I submit that at present there are 04 statutory appeals u/s 146 of Tamil Nadu Urban Local Bodies Act 1998  pending before the Government against lock and seal orders. No appeals have been allowed/ dismissed so far.

11.      I submit that out of 920 resort owners, 521 owners are local residents of the Nilgiris and  399 owners are outsiders. The details of the address are furnished in the annexure.

12.     I submit that, since the data given by the local bodies require a through scrutiny and validation, the District Administration has formed a Monitoring Committee, comprising of the following officials vide proceedings of the District Collector, The Nilgiris Rc.No.COLREV/637/2025-N1 dated 20.01.2026

S.No.

Designation of the Officials

1.

Tourism Officer, Udhagamandalam, The Nilgiris.

2.

Assistant Director, Directorate of Town and Country Planning, Udhagai.

3.

Assistant Director, Town Panchayat, Udhagai.

4.

Assistant Director, Village Panchayat, Udhagai.

13.    It is submitted that  the said Committee has been directed to conduct field inspections, reconcile the data furnished by the Local Bodies and submit a verified report within two weeks, based on which further action will be taken.

14.    I submit  that  a circular in Rc.No.D7.20458/2017 dated 21.01.2026 has also been issued by the District Collector directing all Local Bodies, Forest Department, Geology and Mining Department and TANGEDCO to strictly follow the existing laws and rules while giving approval to any new buildings. directions of the Hon’ble Court and not to permit any illegal Bed and Breakfast, cottage or resort to function.

In view of the circumstances explained above, it is respectfully prayed that the Hon’ble Court may be pleased to accept this status report and pass such further orders as deem fit and thus render justice.

Solemnly affirmed at Chennai

On this day of 30.01.2026                                   District Revenue Officer,

The Nilgiris.