The Madras High Court on Tuesday reserved its orders on a public interest litigation petition which insisted upon implementing a 2019 Erode district gazette notification imposing a ban on vehicular traffic during night hours on Bannari-Karapallam stretch of Coimbatore-Bengaluru National Highway that passes through Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (STR).
First Division Bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D. Bharatha Chakravarthy deferred their verdict after Additional Advocate General J. Ravindran submitted a list of suggestions to balance the interests of the animals in the tiger reserve, the local residents as well as others who transport perishable goods through the stretch.
Passing interim orders on the PIL petition filed by S.P. Chockalingam, the judges had on February 8 ordered strict implementation of the notification. However, immediately, a host of local residents, represented by advocates N.G.R. Prasad and D. Geetha, rushed to the court complaining about the inconvenience caused to them due to the ban.
Subsequently, Chief Secretary V. Irai Anbu chaired a virtual meeting with Forest, Highways, Transport Department officials, along with those from the Erode district administration, on March 5 and came up with a list of suggestions after taking into consideration the welfare of the animals and problems faced by the local residents, the traders and others.
According to the suggestions, there could be complete ban on plying motor vehicles with more than six wheels from 6 p.m. to 5 a.m. on the stretch that passes through the tiger reserve. Other vehicles, except for those used for medical emergencies and public transport, also could be banned from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
However, there need not be any kind of restriction on vehicles that transport perishable goods such as milk, fruits, vegetables and flowers. The Chief Secretary was also of the view that collection of entry fee on the highway must be stopped since it was being collected without the approval of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
It was also discussed in the meet regarding the availability of an alternative route from Anthiyur to Kargekandi (through Bargur). Since this route was not motorable due to recent land slide, it was decided to open this up after permanent restoration. The meeting also discussed controlling the speed of vehicles on the STR stretch.
Since incorporation of all these suggestions would require an amendment to the 2019 Erode district gazette notification, the AAG requested the court to permit such an amendment. After hearing him at length, the judges said they shall go through all materials and pass detailed orders on the issue at the earliest.
