Ooty gymkhana club seeks clearance for golf course in reserve forest

THE Ootacamund Gymkhana Club has applied for forest clearance to continue its golfing operations on 43.73 hectares of forest land in the Wenlock Downs Reserve Forest in the Nilgiris.

- SV KRISHNA CHAITANYA @Chennai

However, the club's plan has hit a roadblock as the officials have found several gaps in the application.

The club, established in 1896 and registered as a 'not-for-profit' under Section 25 of the Companies Act, has operated the golf course for over a century. The land in question was officially notified as reserve forest in 1900. However, following the enactment of the Forest Conservation (FC) Act, 1980, any diversion of forest land for non-forestry purposes requires prior approval from the centre. The SC, in an order dated March 4, 1997, allowed the club to continue operations under the supervision of the collector and divisional forest officer until clearance is obtained.