SC directs removal of encroachments from Agasthyamalai ecological landscape

• The Supreme Court took a serious note of encroachments within the protected areas of the Agasthyamalai ecological landscape in Tamil Nadu and directed that a time-bound eviction plan be prepared and implemented on priority.

• It also directed that disciplinary and legal action be initiated against all identified 118 serving and retired government servants who are found to be encroachers there in accordance with Rule 3 of the Tamil Nadu Government Servants’ Conduct Rules, 1973 and other applicable laws.

• Agasthyamalai ecological landscape covers 3,500.36 square kilometers, encompassing the districts of Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Kanyakumari, Theni and Dindigul in Tamil Nadu; and Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Pathanamthitta and Idukki in Kerala.

• The encroachments within the protected areas of the Agasthyamalai landscape — including the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, the Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve and the Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary have persisted and proliferated over several decades despite specific directions issued by the Madras High Court and the orders passed by the Supreme Court.

• A bench of justices delivered its verdict on May 29 on a plea raising issues, including those concerning preservation of reserve forests, wildlife sanctuaries and tiger reserves in Tamil Nadu.

• As per a report submitted by the district magistrate of Theni district, a total of 4,601 encroachers have occupied 5,072.653 hectares of land in reserved forests across the district and thus far, only 1.8 per cent of the total encroached forest land has been reclaimed.

• The state further reported that 116 government and public utility structures had been constructed inside forest land without prior approval under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.

(The author is a trainer for Civil Services aspirants.)