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The Hindu
4 days 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
4 days 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
4 days 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.
Hans India
19-06-2025
- Hans India
Narrow escape for HC judges as Yercaud Exp hits iron rod
Chennai: Three sitting judges and two retired judges of the Madras High Court, along with hundreds of other passengers on board the Yercaud Superfast Express, had a miraculous escape after the train ran over a heavy iron rail piece deliberately placed across the tracks near Sankagiri in Salem district. The train -- Yercaud Superfast Express (Train No. 22650) -- was en route from Erode to Chennai when the incident occurred around 9.45 p.m. on Tuesday, shortly after the train had crossed Mavelipalayam and was approaching Magudanchavadi railway station. The train had departed Erode Junction at 9.01 p.m. Among the passengers were Justices N. Sathish Kumar, G.K. Ilanthiraiyan, and Krishnan Ramasamy, as well as retired Justices K. Kalyanasundaram and M. Govindaraj. According to railway sources, the locomotive struck a 10-foot-long iron rod -- believed to be a piece of rail track -- which had been placed deliberately across the line near Kaligoundampalayam, in the Sankari block. The engine dragged the obstruction for nearly 300 metres before the loco pilot brought the train to a screeching halt, preventing what could have been a catastrophic derailment. As a result of the collision, the engine's brake lining jammed, rendering the locomotive inoperable. Fortunately, none of the coaches were affected, and no injuries were reported among the passengers. Upon inspection, the loco pilots found the iron rod wedged beneath the engine. Officials from the Salem Railway Division, the Railway Protection Force (RPF), and the local Magudanchavadi police rushed to the site. The obstruction was removed, and a relief engine was dispatched from Erode.
The Hindu
30-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Steel wire fence work in Coimbatore forests halted as Madras High Court orders status quo
The Forest Department has put on hold the works to establish steel wire fence in select stretches of forest boundary in the Coimbatore Forest Division after the Madras High Court recently ordered to maintain status quo ante in a recent hearing of a writ opposing the project. A special Division Bench of Justices N. Sathish Kumar and D. Bharatha Chakravarthy issued the order in a petition filed by Chennai-based activist S. Muralidharan. The department had launched works for the installation of the steel wire fence for a total distance of 10 km at Thondamuthur and Thadagam regions, where incidents of elephants entering human habitations are reported high. Announced by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin last year, the project in Coimbatore is a replica of the steel wire fence established by the department in the Hosur Forest Division a few years ago. According to District Forest Officer N. Jayaraj, the plan to erect the new type of fence, which comprises high-tension steel wires and supporting poles of 10-feet height, was a pilot project. He told The Hindu that the works have been halted based on the court's direction. Mr. Muralidharan had prayed to direct the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Chief Wildlife Warden to not install steel wire fence in Coimbatore until elephant corridors are established. He wanted the impact on elephants of the already installed fence in Hosur to be studied for a report, for the court to pass orders as it may deem fit. The department had claimed that the method implemented in Hosur was effective to prevent wild elephants from entering human habitations. The cost of erecting 1 km of fence is over ₹50 lakh.
