Chennai HC upholds night vehicular traffic ban in tiger reserve

Chamarajanagara: The Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the Tamil Nadu forest department to effectively implement 2019 notification issued by District Collector banning traffic movement in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve Karnataka.

The bench comprising acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy was hearing the PIL filed by petitioner S.P. Chockalingam, who said that nearly 155 animals lost their lives over a decade due to the non-implementation of the order. He alleged that the forest officials showed indifference to the implementation of ban order.

The court made a serious note of the lapses of respondents including the Principal Chief Conservator (respondent 1), Chief Conservator of Forests (R2), National Tiger Conservation Authority for not carrying out the directions issued by the District Collector on 7th January, 2019.

According to the Erode District Collector's order, plying of commercial vehicles on the stretch of National Highway between Bannari and Karapallam within the tiger reserve during 6 pm and 6 am was banned. Similarly, the Collector's order also restrained private vehicles, light commercial vehicles and other four-wheelers from plying on this stretch between 9 pm and 6 am.

The District Collector was impleaded as a party and the government pleader was asked to appear on his behalf. In the meanwhile, R1 and R2 were directed to give force to the notification dated 7th January, 2019 from 10 February. The court has also made it clear that if any person violates the court direction given for implementing the notification imposing restrictions on the plying of vehicles, respondents must identify andname such persons and court would take action. The court posted hearing to 15th February and instructed respondents to give a satisfactory explanation as to why the notification has not been given effect to till now. The court order would affect travel and trade between Chamarajanagar and Dindigul in Tamil Nadu in NH 209. The ban would completely affect transportation of vegetables and other goods from state to Tamilnadu. The road have 27 hairpin curves in Dhimbam reserve forest. The journey would take much time owing to curves and night journey is essential say farmers. Earlier Farmers in Satyamangala staged protest and succeded in cancelling order of district collector.