The Erode district administration sealed all 42 illegal resorts around the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR) on Tuesday, January 13, 2026. This action follows a Madras High Court order from January 5, 2026. The Court directed Erode District Collector S. Kandasamy to act against the illegal resorts and report back by January 19 for final orders. The move came after a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in 2022 by environmental activist R. Karpagam from Coimbatore. Officials of the Rural Development Department issued notices on January 6 to 21 resorts each in Thalamalai and Hasanur villages in the Thalavadi hills. They asked resort owners to provide permission documents by January 12. None of the owners produced the required papers. Consequently, five official teams, with police help, sealed the resorts on January 13 by pasting notices and locking the buildings. The sealing process was finished by afternoon. Officials also revealed plans to identify other illegal establishments operating without permission in the hill area. This strict action aims to protect the fragile environment around the tiger reserve and enforce the court's ruling.