Prathapan Dharmalingam( 47), a Sri Lankan national, has embarked on an awareness bicycle journey on tree plantation in Tamil Nadu to prevent global warming. There has been a controversy over whether proper permission has been obtained to travel through important places of the government.
Tirupur: A Sri Lankan man has been on a bicycle ride from Chennai to create awareness about tree plantation.
Prathapan Dharmalingam (47) is a native of Vavuniya in Sri Lanka. He was a Sri Lankan citizen and had come to Tamil Nadu from Sri Lanka on June 29 on a three-month visa.
On July 23 this year, Prathapan started his journey from Chennai on a bicycle and reached Palladam in Tirupur district via Tiruvallur, Kancheepuram, Vellore and Salem.
Speaking to reporters after planting a tree at palladam government college, Prathapan said,
“I worked as a school teacher in Sri Lanka and then quit my job and am not married yet.In 38 days, I have cycled around 3000 kilometres to discuss the need to plant trees in 38 districts.
Now I go from Palladam to Coimbatore via Sulur and reach the Nilgiris district, from where I go to Madurai and Kanyakumari and then to Chennai to complete the journey.”
Is it the failure of the intelligence agencies to monitor the awareness bicycle ride undertaken by Prathapan, a Sri Lankan national, without proper permission or information? The question arises.
A person from abroad in 38 districts in Tamil Nadu says that even though creating awareness expresses a spirit of service, all the expenses for travel have been borne by friends.
Isn't it necessary to get permission from the police to pass through the area where air force bases like Sulur are located and to pass through the Wellington area where the ammunition factory is located and the Wellington area, where the military training centre is located?
And who is responsible for the safety of Prathapan, a Sri Lankan national who rides a bicycle? It is questionable as to how Prathapan, who is undertaking the yatra, performed in the premises of government department offices without the permission of the district administration.
A country is under the close watch of the intelligence agencies in ensuring the security of the country. But if foreign travellers like Prathapan take permission to conduct awareness programmes in Tamil Nadu, the benefits will reach the public.
Everyone's demand is that the intelligence agencies should monitor Pratapan's bicycle journey and confirm his passport and visa and allow him to travel. It is also felt that the police need to keep a close watch on the president's visit to the Nilgiris.