Remove fences of encroachers, forest department, PWD told

The Madras High Court has directed the PWD and the Forest officials to immediately take steps for the removal of solar fences that encroachers were allegedly allowed to erect in the reserve forest.
Madras High Court (File|PTI)
Madras High Court (File|PTI)

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the PWD and the Forest officials to immediately take steps for the removal of solar fences that encroachers were allegedly allowed to erect in the reserve forest land and the water-spread area in Erode and Coimbatore districts.

The Division Bench of Justice M Sathyanarayanan and Justice GK Ilanthiraiyan expressed their surprise over the Forest department’s stand. “It prima facie appears from the status report that both Forest department as well as PWD are totally insensitive to the environment and ecological disaster, which are happening right under their eyes and it is high time it should be set right,” the Bench said.

The matter relates to a PIL petition, filed by one T Murugavel, regarding the leasing of lands falling in the water-spread area of the Bhavani Sagar dam in Erode and Coimbatore to the landless and poor farmers of the region by a virtue of a GO from the Agriculture department, dated October 18, 1967.

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