Latest news with #SMuralidharan
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Madras HC seeks Tamil Nadu's reply on plea against microchipping dogs
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has ordered notice to the state government and the Animal Welfare Board of India on a petition filed by activist S Muralidharan against the Tamil Nadu government's proposed action for implanting microchips on dogs – pets and strays – as part of the measures to control stray dog menace and protect people from dog-bites. A division bench of Justices Senthilkumar Ramamoothy and T V Thamilselvi ordered the respondent authorities to file reply to the petition by June 20, and adjourned the hearing. The petitioner had prayed for an interim injunction to restrain the state government authorities from proceeding with all tenders, contracts, construction, disbursement or implementation of animal birth control (ABC) projects in TN. He noted that the state government has proceeded with the microchipping project by floating a tender at a cost of Rs 5.40 crore despite the fact that a writ petition challenging the constitutional validity of the Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023, is pending before the high court.
Time of India
3 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
HC notice to govt on PIL against tender for stray birth control plan
Chennai: Madras high court has directed the central and state animal welfare boards to respond to a public interest writ petition filed by an animal welfare activist seeking a stay on the tender issued for implementing animal birth control (ABC) for stray dogs. The issue pertains to an instruction issued by the Tamil Nadu govt directing the authorities to take swift action to implement measures for controlling the stray dog population. Following the instruction, a tender worth 5.2 crore was floated in Chennai for implanting microchips in stray and pet dogs to help identify them. According to the petitioner, S Muralidharan, a petition challenging the ABC regulations is already pending in court. Therefore, the govt's move to issue a tender while that case is still pending is against the law. "The ABC Rules, 2023, are already prima facie shown to be ultra vires to the parent Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960, and contrary to binding judgments, including the constitutional bench judgment of the Supreme Court," he said. He further alleged that the rule mandating the return of the dogs, particularly aggressive dogs, to the same public space would violate the rights of the citizens provided under Article 21 of the Constitution. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Đăng ký Undo "It would be a financial drain on the exchequer with a failed model that has not yielded results over the past 24 years," he added. Admitting the plea, a vacation bench of Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy and Justice T V Tamilselvi directed the central and state animal welfare boards, as well as the state animal husbandry department, to submit their responses by June 20.
New Indian Express
25-04-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
SIT to probe illegal mining into remaining fields of Thadagam valley
COIMBATORE: Activists in Thadagam Valley welcomed the Madras High Court's April 17 order directing the special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the remaining brickkiln fields in the Thadagam valley to ascertain illegal mining which is affecting the movement of wild elephants along their corridor in the Perur taluk of Coimbatore district. Illegal activities of brickkilns in the fields too will come under the SIT purview. S Muralidharan, a petitioner and Chennai-based activist, told TNIE that the hundreds and thousands of acres of areas were illegally mined in the Thadagam valley. The Madras High court should punish the illegal brickkiln owners and revenue and mining officials who issued licence but failed to monitor the indiscriminate mining that resulted in environmental degradation and an increase in human-animal conflict. "Punishing the government officials will set an example and help protect the environment and wildlife in future," said Muralidharan. S Ganesh of Thadagam Valley Protection Committee said "These brickkiln units are located very close to the foothills of the Western Ghats and an important elephant corridor has been there for over the last 25 years. Out of the 806 brickkiln fields in five villages in the Thadagam valley, the joint committee has submitted a report after conducting field visits only in 565 fields and found illegal mining in up to 433 villages. The SIT will investigate the 241 remaining fields at Nanjundapuram, Veerapandi and Chinna Thadagam villages in the Thadagam valley." "These units have mined excessive soil and created a roadblock for free animal movement, thus resulting in elephant forays into residential areas and agricultural fields. If the SIT probe is not satisfactory, we will pray the Madras High Court to hand over the investigation into the illegal brickkiln units, which are sealed now, to the CBI if the revenue, mining and police personnel fail to stop those taking machines or soil, etc., from the sealed units," said Ganesh. The court has also appointed D Shanmugapriya, SP, CB-CID, Chennai, to head the SIT replacing G Nagajothi, the SP of the State Crime Records Bureau since Nagajothi was on continuous leave due to her husband's death.
