Tamil Nadu’s encroachment problem
The Supreme Court of India has expressed frustration over the government's failure to evict encroachers from protected forest landscapes in Tamil Nadu. The court suggested involving paramilitary forces to preserve ecologically sensitive areas like the Agasthyamalai landscape.
Why it matters
It highlights the ongoing conflict between environmental conservation and human encroachment in critical biodiversity hotspots.
Frustrated by the Tamil Nadu government’s inability to evict “encroachers” in the Agasthyamalai landscape, the Supreme Court recently said the matter required a structured, time bound, and closely monitored framework. A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta said that encroachments within the protected areas of the Agasthyamalai landscape, including the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, the Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve and the Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary, have persisted over decades despite specific directions issued by the Madras High Court and the top court.
In fact, the Supreme Court went as far to suggest using the paramilitary to evict the encroachers to preserve and protect the ecologically sensitive regions.
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