Latest news with #TamilNaduForestAct
Time of India
07-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Ajjoor villagers seek Nilgiris collector's intervention to stop forest dept's move to evict them
At least 100 members, including women, of the village gathered in front of the Nilgiris collectorate on Monday to hand over the petition to the collector. Udhagamandalam: Residents of Ajjoor village in Ooty taluk have sought the intervention the Nilgiris collector to stop an eviction exercise initiated by the forest department. In their petition to collector Lakshmi Bhavya Tanneeru, the villagers have stated that the Badaga village was established 300 years ago, and currently, at least 300 agrarian families reside there. At least 100 members, including women, of the village gathered in front of the Nilgiris collectorate on Monday to hand over the petition to the collector. 'Recently, we have been asked to vacate the land under old survey numbers 596/1 and 596/2, citing various forest acts. We have lived in the village and cultivated the land associated with these survey numbers for the past more than 300 years,' the petition stated. 'This action poses a threat to our age-old cultural heritage and our livelihood. We hold all the proper receipts for tax payments on these properties.' R Balakrishnan, president of the Ajjoor Village Welfare Association, said, 'Our request is for the issuance of pattas to the villagers for the land they have occupied for centuries, as per the Forest Rights Act of 2006.' by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo In 1980, over 300 acres of land in Ajjoor village were designated as a reserve forest area. A proposal under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Forest Act of 1882 was submitted by the forest department to the district administration. After a thorough review by the settlement officer, 298.20 acres were officially notified as forest land under Section 4 of the Tamil Nadu Forest Act in GO no. 279 dated March 7, 1980, leaving around 12 acres for public use by the villagers. In 2017, the Madras high court dismissed writ petition no. 31256, which was filed in 2005 by the villagers who were classified as encroachers. The court instructed the forest department to proceed with eviction proceedings following the law. Appeals from the villagers in 1996 and again in 2005 were rejected by the Madras high court, which emphasized the importance of maintaining the ecological balance of the Nilgiris. District forest officer S Gowtham told TOI, 'We must follow the procedure for rights if they provide evidence of possessing the said land for more than 300 years.'
The Hindu
28-06-2025
- The Hindu
Habitual offender involved in wildlife crimes detained under Goondas Act in Erode
A habitual offender involved in wildlife crimes in the Erode Forest Division was detained under the Goondas Act on Saturday (June 28, 2025). E. Murugesan (47) of Michaelpalayam in Anthiyur taluk, was found to have hunted wildlife with a firearm in the Anthiyur forest range and attempted to trap animals using snares in the Chennampatti forest range. He was arrested on June 20 under the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882, and the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. As he was repeatedly involved in forest and wildlife offences, and to prevent further such activities, District Collector S. Kandasamy ordered his detention under the Goondas Act, based on a recommendation from K.V. Appala Naidu, District Forest Officer, Erode Forest Division. A release said that persons repeatedly engaging in forest offences—such as killing wildlife using country-made bombs, snares, traps, illegal electric fences (electrocution), or hunting with unlicensed firearms—would face action under the Tamil Nadu Forest Act and Section 50 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. Such offenders will be detained under the Goondas Act to ensure they remain in custody without bail. The release also urged those illegally possessing country-made guns for wildlife hunting to voluntarily surrender them at the respective forest range offices.
The Hindu
26-05-2025
- The Hindu
Man held for hunting deer in Erode
A 35-year-old man from Ennamangalam in Anthiyur block was arrested by the Forest Department on Monday for hunting a deer and possessing its meat. At 4 a.m. on Sunday, a team from the Anthiyur Forest Range Office was patrolling the Sellathampalayam East beat forest area to review footage from camera traps installed to monitor leopard movement. During the patrol, they spotted a man carrying a bag in the forest. Upon seeing the team, he dropped the bag and fled the scene. Inside the bag, the team found deer meat, a machete, and a knife, which they took to the office. The man's image had been captured by one of the camera traps, and the team launched a search to identify and locate him. On Monday, acting on a tip-off, Forest Department staff apprehended the suspect at Car Street in Anthiyur. He was identified as M. Ammavasai of Kovilur. During questioning, he confessed to hunting the deer and collecting its meat for sale. A case was registered against him for trespassing into the forest and poaching, under relevant sections of the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1882, and the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. He was produced in court and remanded to the district prison in Gobichettipalayam.
