COIMBATORE: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday visited the Theppakadu elephant camp in Mudumalai.

Stalin, who is on a five-day visit to the Nilgiris, inaugurated 44 houses built at Rs 5.06 crore for mahouts and kavadis in the elephant camp.

He also gave away vehicles for the forest department and planted a sapling at the camp premises.

He spoke to Bomman and Bellie, the tribal couple, who featured in Oscar award winning documentary, ‘The Elephant Whisperers’. He also had a brief interaction with mahouts in the camp and fed captive elephants with sugarcane and fruits.

Speaking to the media, Stalin said efforts will be taken to further develop the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve (MTR), which is already well maintained.

Earlier, he listened to the grievances of people who stood along the road at Mavanalla, on the way from Ooty to Mudumalai.

Stalin was accompanied by Chief Whip K Ramachandran, Member of Parliament A Raja, Supriya Sahu, Additional Chief Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Forests, and Nilgiris District Collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru were present.

Tourists were barred from visiting the elephant camp in the evening because of Stalin’s visit. He is scheduled to inaugurate the flower show at the Government Botanical Garden (GBG) in Ooty on 15 May.