Act against illegal brick kilns along elephant corridors, Madras HC tells government
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has criticised the illegal operation of brick kilns along the elephant corridors bordering the state and ordered the government to immediately ensure that these kilns function within the parameters laid down.
The petitioner Muralidharan had told the Court that illegal mining in the region of Thadagam in Coimbatore was the sole reason behind the rising number of man-animal conflicts between elephants and humans.
"The brick kilns and their mining of the red sand for bricks have destroyed important elephant corridors, used by elephants to migrate to contiguous forest areas. This is resulting in elephants moving into human settlements and damaging crops and humans lives," his petition noted.
He also submitted details that showed between 1999 and 2014 about 100 elephants have died in the area and 77 people have been killed in man-animal conflicts. This apart, between 2011 and 2018 about 61 have been injured in such conflicts.
The state informed the court that the Mines Department after consultation with all the departments is working out a solution so that the elephant corridors can be left untouched and also for restoration of those corridors that have been encroached upon.
The first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy recording the submissions made by both the counsels directed the state to take immediate remedial measures to ensure that brick kilns function within the parameters set down and upon obtaining license remain confined to the areas demarcated.
The court also said, "Burgeoning brick kilns that encroach into forest lands or elephant corridors should be proceeded against without undue delay."
The court then directed the state to file a detailed report through the Chief Secretary after due coordination between the various departments in the next six weeks.