2 days ago
FCRI, residential school remove solar fencing following High Court intervention
The Forest College and Research Institute (FCRI) and Satchidananda Jothi Nikethan International School near Mettupalayam have removed solar fencing and made a few other arrangements to improve movement of wild elephants through the critical Kallar elephant corridor.
The campuses, which are situated in the bottleneck area of the Kallar corridor aka crucial Jaccanaire - Hulikal Durgam elephant corridor, removed the impediments to elephant movement following the intervention of a Special Division Bench of the Madras High Court.
The Bench came to know of the hindrances caused by the two campuses to free movement of elephants after the amici curiae appointed by it inspected the places and submitted their report, as part of its visit to Government Horticulture Farm at Kallar. The amici curiae of advocates Chevanan Mohan, Rahul Balaji, and M. Santhanaraman were appointed for the hearing of a 2022 writ petition filed by S. Manoj Immanuel of Kodaikanal, who sought for the relocation of the farm at Kallar to improve the functionality of the elephant corridor.
With regard to the issues relating to FCRI campus , which has 12 blocks from A to L, the court had directed that blocks A, B and C should be restored as part of the corridor, by removing the elephant-proof trenches (EPT) and solar fences. The institute, which is located in Odanthurai reserve forest on Mettupalayam - Kotagiri Road, informed the court on June 20 that solar fences of the blocks were removed. The court granted 30 days time for levelling the EPTs outside these blocks completely so that the elephants can freely move.
The amici curiae had opined that power fencing and EPTs were not necessary for blocks D, E, F and G as the entire administrative blocks and the activities of the institute was limited only to H and J. It opined that the four plots can be used but also be permitted for free movement of the elephants as their habitat.
Mr. Santhanaraman brought to the attention of the court of a letter from the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests dated June 11, which suggested that A,B and C shall be taken into possession of the Forest Department and be part of the corridor while the institute can have the administrative control of D,E,F and G blocks, without any fencing or EPTs.
However, due to the difference of opinion between FCRI Dean and the Forest Department as well as the amici curiae with reference to the D,E,F and G blocks, the court directed that a status report on the work being carried out in A, B and C blocks be filed on July 18. It proposed a joint inspection of the Forest Department, Dean, amici curiae along with the members of the Bench, if necessary, for further discussion on D,E,F and G blocks.
Regarding the school, Mr. Balaji had brought to the notice of the court a 2023 report the Wildlife Institute of India titled 'ElephantCorridors of India', according to which the area concerning Satchidananda Jothi Nikethan International School is specifically mentioned as a major bottleneck.
The court had directed the school to remove the solar fencing along with pillars on the campus. The school informed the court during the hearing on June 20 that it has complied with the directions and removed the solar fencing, besides levelling the land and closing pits between its boundary wall and the forest boundary.
The court directed the Forest Department to inspect the area and file a status report with regard to the further actions and levelling, if any, on July 18.
