Latest news with #D.BharathaChakravarthy
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Amici Curiae object to erection of steel wire rope fencing in Thondamuthur to prevent human-elephant conflicts
A team of amici curiae assisting the Madras High Court in forest related cases has raised objections to the Tamil Nadu Government's proposed move to erect a steel wire rope fencing for a distance of 10 km at Thondamuthur in Coimbatore district to prevent Human-Elephant Conflicts (HEC). A special Division Bench of Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy had called for the response of the amici curiae T. Mohan, Chevanan Mohan, Rahul Balaji and M. Santhanaraman to a counter affidavit filed by the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests-cum-Chief Wildlife Warden Rakesh Kumar Dogra. Waking to the call OF THE WILD: India's rich wildlife heritage is under threat as human-animal conflicts intensify Responding to a case filed by activist S. Muralidharan, the PCCF-cum-CWC had on June 20, 2025 told the court the Forest Department had initially proposed to erect steel wire rope fence in Coimbatore forest division for a distance of 30 km but financial sanction was accorded only for 10 km. 'Coimbatore forest division was spread over 693.48 sqkm and shared a boundary with habitations for a length of about 350 km where it was vulnerable to HEC. Elephants had strayed out 9,710 times in this division in the past three years and 147 deaths had occurred during 2011-2022,' the officer said. The government had to pay a compensation of ₹11.35 crore to the families of the dead. He added traditional methods of digging elephant proof trenches and erecting solar fences had proved to be ineffective with the pachyderms that indulge in crop raiding and house breaking. 'Hence, it was decided that elephant proof steel wire rope fencing could be done on a pilot basis in Thondamuthur. Accordingly, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin made the announcement on November 6, 2024 and a Government Order sanctioning ₹5 crore was issued on February 4, 2025,' he said. Amici curiae's report Filing their response to the PCCF-cum-CWC's counter affidavit, the amici curiae told the court the area where the steel wire rope fencing had been proposed marks an abrupt shift from forest to private lands. They said, the terrain was slopy and there was no buffer zone for elephants to navigate. 'The steep slopes and the fence together will lock the area with no other solution for the elephants but to either circumnavigate the hills or try to force themselves through the fence. In both cases, the risk of mortality will be increased,' the amici curiae said by relying upon certain studies undertaken in the area. 'As the fence covers 10 km, elephants coming into the private from the adjacent forests will be prevented from accessing the forests on the other side and it may lead to more conflict. Closing off forests completely will solve problems locally but shift the conflict elsewhere,' they added. The lawyers also said: 'A scientific study must be undertaken to understand the impacts before fencing... The Forest Department is in the process of notifying elephant corridors across Tamil Nadu. Until the corridors in Coimbatore region are consolidated and notified, the fencing may be held off.' After taking the report of the amici curiae on file, the judges adjourned the hearing to July 25, 2025 and ordered maintenance of status quo till then.
The Hindu
a day ago
- The Hindu
Fix timeline for notifying fresh list of elephant corridors in Tamil Nadu, Madras High Court directs State government
The Madras High Court has impressed upon the need for Tamil Nadu government to fix a timeline for notifying a fresh list of elephant corridors in the State. It has also called for a status report by July 25, 2025 indicating the progress made in this regard. A special Division Bench of Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy passed the orders on a batch of forest related cases before it. Amici curiae T. Mohan, Chevanan Mohan, Rahul Balaji and M. Santhanaraman have been assisting the court in all these cases. In September 2023, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests-cum-Chief Wildlife Warden had revealed a field study by an elephant corridor identification committee had brought to light preliminary information regarding existence of 36 corridors in Tamil Nadu. As nearly two years had lapsed since then, the judges wanted a definite timeline to be fixed for devising strategies for consolidation, obtaining funds for corridor rebuilding and framing guidelines for ensuring public cooperation to avoid human-elephant negative interactions. Filing a compliance report with respect to a series of other directions issued by the Bench on January 10, 2025; Coimbatore Collector G. Pavankumar said, necessary steps had been taken to implement the direction to install surveillance cameras to prevent illegal mining around forest areas in the district. A private agency had submitted a detailed project report for installing Artificial Intelligence enabled surveillance cameras at a cost of ₹1.83 crore and the proposal was forwarded to the Commissioner of Geology and Mining on March 12, 2025 for sanctioning the funds, the Collector said. The court was also informed that 270 cases of illegal mining had been identified and a penalty of ₹26.76 crore was imposed in 100 cases. The rest of the cases were being inquired by the jurisdictional Revenue Divisional Officer and action would be taken as and when the inquiry concludes. The Division Bench was also informed of the action taken so far against the government and police officials for dereliction of duty and the engagement of a private agency to create mobile applications and an Internet portal for lodging complaints related to illegal mining. After taking the Collector's report on file, the judges decided to pass further orders on the issue on July 25.
The Hindu
a day ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Madras High Court suo motu impleads Mata Amritanandamayi Math in forest case
The Madras High Court has suo motu impleaded Mata Amritanandamayi Math as one of the respondents to a case related to alleged erection of a two-kilometre-long electric fence, disturbing the movement of elephants, on the Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham campus in Ettimadai situated at the foothills of the Bouluvampatty ranges of the Western Ghats in Coimbatore district. A special Division Bench of Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy directed the High Court Registry to issue notice, returnable by June 25, to the Math. The court felt it essential to hear the institution and ascertain if any of the conditions imposed by the Directorate of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) and the Forest Department had been violated by it. The direction was issued on a petition filed by forest activist M. Siva through his counsel M. Purushothaman. Responding to the petition, Coimbatore Collector G. Pavankumar told the court that the Math had submitted an application on April 3, 2023 for changing the use of 12.622 hectares of land from agricultural purposes to educational purpose in the revenue records. Since the deemed university campus run by the Math bordered with the reserve forests, necessary remarks were called for from the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Head of Forest Force) before taking a call on the application. On January 18, 2024, the PCCF submitted a list of 17 conditions under which the Math's request for change of classification of lands could be considered. Thereafter, the DTCP granted permission to the Math by directing it to follow all the 17 conditions scrupulously. One of the conditions required the maintenance of a buffer zone of 150 metres along the reserve forests boundary for free movement of wildlife, particularly elephants. The other condition stated that wild animals passing through applicant's land, for food and water, should not be disturbed. The applicant was also instructed that fencing, if any, around its land must be erected only as per the Tamil Nadu Power Fences (Registration and Regulation) Rules, 2023 and that there should not be continuous barrier to block free movement of wild migratory animals. The Math was also asked to report movement of elephants to the nearby forest office and not drive them away. 'In order to ascertain whether any of the conditions have been violated and since no decision can be taken without affording an opportunity of hearing to the said private institution, Mata Amritanandamayi Math... is suo motu impleaded as the 67th respondent in the writ petition,' the Divsion Bench ordered.
The Hindu
24-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Madras High Court permits Gillette to take possession of imported dental floss consignment without registering it as a medical device
The Madras High Court has permitted Gillette India Limited to take possession of two consignments of dental floss, imported by it in July 2024, without registering them as a non sterile, non measuring medical device under the Medical Devices Rules of 2017. Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy allowed a writ petition filed by the company and set aside the orders passed by Deputy Drugs Controller (I), Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation refusing to issue no objection certificate (NOC) for the release of the goods. The judge directed the Deputy Drugs Controller under the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation as well as the Deputy Drugs Controller at Chennai airport to ensure that the goods were released forthwith after issuance of NOC by the appropriate authorities. The court pointed out that the notification based on which the officials insisted on registering dental floss under Medical Device Rules was only in the draft stage and that the petitioner had imported the goods much before the notification was issued on January 6, 2025. Justice Chakravarthy also recordeed the submission of the petitioner's counsel Thriyambak J. Kannan that the dropdown menu in the medical devices online portal does not contain the option of registering dental floss and therefore, it was impossible to register it.
The Hindu
12-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Untouchability is being practised in the country in myriad ways, says Madras High Court
Observing that untouchability is being practised in the country in myriad ways, the Madras High Court has said that refusing to accept donations for a temple festival from all willing human beings is also a form of untouchability. Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy denounced caste system and wrote: 'In this country, untouchability is practised in various ways. Not accepting the donation from a person perceived to be an inferior human being is another form.' The judge made the observations while disposing of a writ petition filed by Ela Pandiyarajan of Ambedkar Makkal Neethi Iyakkam against the management of Kamatchi Amman Udanurai Tirunageswarar Temple at Kunrathur in Chennai. The petitioner had complained of the temple administration permitting only those belonging to Senguntha Mudaliyar caste to be the Ubayadarar (donors) for the Brahmotsavam (annual festival) and not accepting donations from others. He questioned the propriety behind such a discrimination despite the temple falling under the control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department and contended that it was against the fundamental right to equality. After recording his submissions, Justice Chakravarthy recalled one of his recent judgements wherein he had observed that caste was a social evil, and a casteless society, the goal envisaged by the framers of the Constitution. 'In view thereof, if a person belonging to a Scheduled Caste community is not permitted to be the Ubayadarar in a temple, then, that would also be a violation of Article 17 (abolishment of untouchability) of the Constitution,' the judge observed. He directed the HR&CE department to dispose of a representation made by the writ petitioner for accepting donations from all willing donors, and said that the department's decision would apply to all festivals in the future and not just to this year's festival.
