Udhagamangalam:
About one lakh people from 20 villages in Gudalur Assembly constituency formed a 100 km human chain seeking protection of their rights of trade and property coming under Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR) area.
Uniting under the banner of 'Gudalur Constituency People's Right to live and protection Committee,' the villageers, including tribals, women, students, children, members of different NGOs and leaders and cadres of political parties, joined hands from Gudalur and formed the chain through more than 20 villages and back.
Their major demands are withdrawal of extension of MTR
area, which would affect trade and business, relaxing Sec.17 of the Forest Act, barring sale and purchase of property coming under the area and depriving development works and also protect the areas from the proposed elephant corridor.
Prominent among those participated were DMK Local MLA,
Dravidamani, AIADMK town secretary Raja Thangavelu and also local leaders of BJP, PMK, Viduthalai Katchi, police said.