Tamil Nadu - Madurai   

Appeal against acquittal of accused in tree-felling case

By Our Staff Reporter

MADURAI, MARCH 20. The Forest Range officer in Kalakkadu, Tirunelveli district, has moved an appeal before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court against the acquittal of two persons accused of felling trees worth Rs.20 crores.

Admitting the appeal, Justice M. Chockalingam posted the case for hearing on March 30. The District Munsif-cum-Judicial Magistrate in Nanguneri had acquitted both the accused on August 18 last.

According to the range officer, though the trees were cut from a private land in the forest area, the accused were not entitled to do so, as per a Supreme Court ruling in 1996. The Apex Court had held there was a complete ban on felling trees in all forest areas and that the term `forest land' not only included the dictionary meaning but also the areas notified as forests in the Government records, irrespective of the ownership of such lands.

But contrary to the order and without obtaining any prior permission from the authorities concerned as laid down under section 3 (1) (A) of the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Private Forest Act, the Thiruvavaduthurai Aadheenam and the accused made a memorandum of understanding to cut the trees, the petitioner alleged.

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