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New Indian Express
11-06-2025
- General
- New Indian Express
Volunteers clear 1,750 kg of plastic waste from Velliangiri Hill in Coimbatore
COIMBATORE: Days after the trekking period ended, volunteers from different parts of the state joined hands to carry out a cleanliness drive at Velliangiri Hill in Boluvampatti Forest Range in Coimbatore. As many as 35 volunteers, in the age group of 18-55, came for the cleanliness drive and collected over 1,750 kg of plastic waste including water bottles and food wrappers on June 8. The forest department had granted permission to devotees to trek on the hill as the Lord Velliangiri Aandavar Temple is situated on the seventh hill. While the temple is under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department, the forest department permits treks from February to May. During the trekking period between February 1 and May 25, over 2.5 lakh devotees are estimated to have trekked the hills. This huge footfall brought with it the menace of plastic waste, despite the forest department's initiatives to curb plastic in the area. B Hari Kumar, a fitness coach who trekked the hill over 102 days, called on volunteers through his social media page to partake in the cleanliness drive. Volunteers from across the state participated in the drive on Sunday and collected the plastic waste from the foothills to the third hill, a 3 km stretch. Hari Kumar told TNIE, "To prevent plastic dumping on the hill, the forest department affixes stickers on plastic bottles carried by those who come for trekking and collect Rs 20 per bottle. The devotees can collect Rs 20 after returning the empty plastic bottle. However, some of them throw the bottles during the trek in the reserve forest area. To clean up the plastic bottles and plastic covers, I sought the forest department's permission. They have given three Sundays for the work. On June 8, the first Sunday, we collected 1,750 kg of plastic waste with the support of the forest guards." He said as many as 18 out of 35 volunteers came from Chennai, Salem, Tirunelveli and other districts. "They have come forward for the social cause and dedicated a day for the work. We started work at 7.45 am and completed by 4 pm. We handed over the segregated waste to the Coimbatore city corporation. Due to the elevation and distance, we have invited young volunteers for the next two Sundays."
New Indian Express
26-05-2025
- Health
- New Indian Express
Coimbatore man treks Velliangiri Hill for 102 days to raise awareness against alcohol, drug use
COIMBATORE: In a bid to raise awareness against the use of alcohol and drugs and promote a healthy lifestyle, a 39-year-old Coimbatore-based man has trekked Velliangiri Hill continuously for a record 102 days as on Sunday. B Hari Kumar, a fitness coach, has been climbing the hill since February 1. The Velliangiri stretch consists of seven hills and reaches an altitude of 1,778 metres from the sea level. It is a 5.5 km stretch from the foothills, and there is a temple of Lord Velliangiri Aandavar on the seventh hill. Even though the temple is under the control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment (HR&CE) department, the trekking route comes under the forest department's purview as it is in the reserve forest area. Every year, the trekking route is open for the public from February 1 to May 31, and the trek takes roughly six-seven hours for an average person to complete. However, Hari Kumar completes the trek in two-and-a-half hours. Hari Kumar told TNIE, "Earlier in the season, I trekked for 26 days continuously on the hill. To make an attempt to complete 108 days continuously, I started trekking on February 1. I made the attempt to show the importance of fitness. Every day, I start trekking around 9.30 am and reach the top of the seventh hill, at 6,200 feet, in one-and-a-half hours and return down in 50 - 55 minutes. I complete the trek by 12.30 pm." "As I am a fitness coach, it makes it easier to trek the hill within two-and-a-half hours. My friends admire the speed at which I trek the hill. To create a record, I decided to trek 108 days in the season. So far, I have completed 102 days as on May 25," he said. He said that the motive is to be fit and healthy, and without drugs and alcohol.
