Referring to an order passed by the Himachal Pradesh High Court in July last year enlisting the Eco-Task Force set up by the Indian Army for removing encroachments over the forest lands, the Madras High Court on Thursday said it may also have to seek assistance of the Army to remove encroachments in the State.
Justices M. Venugopal and S. Vaidyanathan made the observation after being enraged over a whistleblower and his wife having been assaulted and humiliated by henchmen engaged by encroachers of a public land at Karikaatu Kuppam village at Muttukaadu Panchayat in Tiruporur Taluk in Kancheepuram district. It was during the hearing of a contempt of court petition filed by the whistleblower that the judges were apprised of the assault. They were also told that an order passed by them as early as on January 18, 2018 to stop the illegal construction on encroached land and to demolish the unauthorised construction was not complied with.
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Appalled at the submissions, the Division Bench said, “Where law ends, there tyranny begins.” It went on to direct the government officials to make sure that their order was complied within a day and a compliance report was filed by 12 noon on Friday.