The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on hearing a plea seeking action against officials for their inaction towards curbing the felling of trees in the Megamalai forest range directed the Department of Environment and Forest to file its counter.
A division bench of Justices M.Satyanarayanan and R.Hemalatha heard the case on Friday.
The petitioner S. Pandi of Theni had claimed that trees had been felled to make way for roads. The Collector had constituted a committee comprising officials from the Survey and Revenue departments to look into the felling of trees and the report confirmed felling of trees, claimed the petitioner.
The Megamalai forest range was rich in biodiversity and a home to different species of animals. The State government was considering conversion of this region into Megamalai-Srivilliputtur Tiger Reserve, he said.
The petitioner claimed that close to 100 families living in the forest area had expressed their willingness to be relocated, but the forest authorities were not facilitating the move as they were in tandem with estate owners who wanted uninterrupted labour supply.
