The Madras High Court on Wednesday suspended, until further orders, the operation of a Union Forest Ministry office memorandum issued this month, constituting a committee purportedly to examine all matters related to the 4225 acre Sigur Elephant Corridor in the Nilgiris District.
Passing interim order on a public interest litigation petition, a Division Bench of Justices Elipe Dharma Rao and N. Kirubakaran admitted the petition and ordered notice.
The petitioner submitted that based on High Court orders and report submitted by the court-constituted committee, the Tamil Nadu government had identified and declared an area as elephant corridor. The validity of the G.O. was upheld by the High Court, which also directed resort owners and others owning land in the corridor to hand over possession to the government.
The Supreme Court rejected the appeal against the constitution of the expert committee by the High Court. All the appeals against the High Court's final order are to be listed on March 12 for final hearing.
The Union Forests and Environment Secretary issued an office memorandum dated February 17, by which another committee had been constituted to examine all matters related to the corridor.
A reading of the memorandum would make it clear that it was intended to dilute the Tamil Nadu G.O. It amounted to Centre's interference in the powers of the State government.
