Nilgiris (Tamil Nadu): A popular tourist destination and one of India’s primary tea producing districts has decided to quarantine itself and shut down all popular tourist destinations in the vicinity till March 31.
Announcing the decision to shut down all tourist destinations such as Sims Park, Rock Garden etc, District Collector, J Innocent Divya, also ordered all homestays, hotels and lodges to ask their guests to leave.
Issuing the orders under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, the order states that all tourists will be asked to leave the district and residents of the Districts were advised to stay indoors.
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Subsequent to the order, the Forest Department of the District also ordered the closure of the Muddumalai Tiger Reserve. Situated on the hills of the Western Ghats, the District is home to unique flora and fauna in the region and is an old British hill station, popular with tourists in South India and beyond. It is also the meeting point of the Western and Eastern Ghats, a unique geographical fact.
The State of Tamil Nadu has till date reported three positive cases related to COVID-19. However, the neighbouring states of Karnataka (18 cases and one death) and Kerala (over 20 cases) has the state and the district particularly worried.
Nilgiris is popular with tourists from the neighbouring states.