Udhagamandalam: Proposed in 2009, the Moyar Valley Elephant Corridor via Sholur, Masinagudi, Hulathi and Kadanadu panchayats in Segur plateau of the Nilgiris district, is but to realise as it is fraught with several issues.
While a case have been pending in the Supreme Court for the previous six years, a few survey numbers are lacking in the corridor map notified by way of the state executive. The case would arise for hearing on April eight, 2018.
According to forest officials, lacking survey numbers in the map, which was ready by way of knowledgeable committee, can be notified quickly by way of publishing them in local newspapers.
Based on four Madras high court docket orders dated between 2008 and 2010, the state executive had on August 31, 2010, issued an order confirming the elephant corridor map printed on January 6, 2010.
As per the Nilgiris gazette notification dated July 6, 2011, which was issued in compliance of Madras high court docket order dated December 3, 2009, the elephant corridor covers a space of 24,503.86 hectares throughout Sholur, Masinagudi, Hulathi and Kadanadu panchayats in Segur plateau of the Nilgiris district.
Of this, 21,625 hectares come underneath forest land, 1,185 hectares underneath executive land and 1,692 hectares underneath patta land. A couple of tribal hamlets also fall throughout the purview of the corridor. The patta land comprises 397 survey numbers, together with tea estates.
The state executive issued every other order on November 1 five, 2011, regarding acquisition of 515.22 acres of private/patta land. The order mentioned a committee constituted for the purpose shall explore the potential for obtaining patta lands with the willingness of the farmers who can spare their land to restore elephant corridor.
However, patta land homeowners approached the Supreme Court with particular go away petitions numbering about 32, challenging the high court docket orders.
“With regard to the proposed elephant corridor, there are 32 particular go away petitions by way of the non-public patta land homeowners and the forest division has submitted counter affidavits for all of them. A couple of survey numbers are, however, lacking in the notified corridor map. We will quickly notify them,” S Kalanidhi, district forest officer (north department) advised TOI.
Asked whether or not the corridor would affect the patta land homeowners, Kalanidhi mentioned, “The present process of the homeowners might not be stopped. Also, tribal and forest dwellers might not be disturbed. But, essential corridor obstructions can be removed.”
The state executive’s affidavit to the petitions also states that the proposed elephant corridor would contain just a management process to handle the welfare of the elephant and different flora and fauna. “It has nothing to do with the ownership, prison possession and rights of the petitioners.”
One of the complexities, however, is that elephant corridor is a part of buffer zone of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. Also, these spaces have already been declared as forest underneath the Tamil Nadu Preservation of Private Forest Act, 1949, which was promulgated by way of the government maintaining in view the local ecology and environmental issues.
In 2009, the Centre had communicated to all states a tentative list of 138 state corridors, 28 interstate corridors and 17 international corridors and asked them to identify all elephant corridors of their respective states and take steps to inform them underneath appropriate Acts.
While a case have been pending in the Supreme Court for the previous six years, a few survey numbers are lacking in the corridor map notified by way of the state executive. The case would arise for hearing on April eight, 2018.
According to forest officials, lacking survey numbers in the map, which was ready by way of knowledgeable committee, can be notified quickly by way of publishing them in local newspapers.
Based on four Madras high court docket orders dated between 2008 and 2010, the state executive had on August 31, 2010, issued an order confirming the elephant corridor map printed on January 6, 2010.
As per the Nilgiris gazette notification dated July 6, 2011, which was issued in compliance of Madras high court docket order dated December 3, 2009, the elephant corridor covers a space of 24,503.86 hectares throughout Sholur, Masinagudi, Hulathi and Kadanadu panchayats in Segur plateau of the Nilgiris district.
Of this, 21,625 hectares come underneath forest land, 1,185 hectares underneath executive land and 1,692 hectares underneath patta land. A couple of tribal hamlets also fall throughout the purview of the corridor. The patta land comprises 397 survey numbers, together with tea estates.
The state executive issued every other order on November 1 five, 2011, regarding acquisition of 515.22 acres of private/patta land. The order mentioned a committee constituted for the purpose shall explore the potential for obtaining patta lands with the willingness of the farmers who can spare their land to restore elephant corridor.
However, patta land homeowners approached the Supreme Court with particular go away petitions numbering about 32, challenging the high court docket orders.
“With regard to the proposed elephant corridor, there are 32 particular go away petitions by way of the non-public patta land homeowners and the forest division has submitted counter affidavits for all of them. A couple of survey numbers are, however, lacking in the notified corridor map. We will quickly notify them,” S Kalanidhi, district forest officer (north department) advised TOI.
Asked whether or not the corridor would affect the patta land homeowners, Kalanidhi mentioned, “The present process of the homeowners might not be stopped. Also, tribal and forest dwellers might not be disturbed. But, essential corridor obstructions can be removed.”
The state executive’s affidavit to the petitions also states that the proposed elephant corridor would contain just a management process to handle the welfare of the elephant and different flora and fauna. “It has nothing to do with the ownership, prison possession and rights of the petitioners.”
One of the complexities, however, is that elephant corridor is a part of buffer zone of the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve. Also, these spaces have already been declared as forest underneath the Tamil Nadu Preservation of Private Forest Act, 1949, which was promulgated by way of the government maintaining in view the local ecology and environmental issues.
In 2009, the Centre had communicated to all states a tentative list of 138 state corridors, 28 interstate corridors and 17 international corridors and asked them to identify all elephant corridors of their respective states and take steps to inform them underneath appropriate Acts.
Survey nos missing in Moyar Valley elephant corridor map
![Survey nos missing in Moyar Valley elephant corridor map]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
March 04, 2018
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