The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Municipality fined for ‘trespassing’ on forest land

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 27, 2007
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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Municipality fined for ‘trespassing’ on forest land

Special Correspondent

TAMBARAM: The Forest Department has pulled up the Tambaram Municipality for “trespassing” on its land as part of preliminary works taken up by the urban local body for building a modern slaughter house (abattoir).

Problems began about a week ago, when the equipment deployed by the municipality began to clear vegetation in about 3,500 square feet of land adjacent to Tiruneermalai Road in West Tambaram. The land belongs to the Forest Department and operators of the earth mover were reportedly unaware of it.

After initial warnings went unheeded, officials of the Forest Department seized the vehicle. It was released only after a fine of Rs. 4,000 was paid. As each and every inch of land belonging to the Forest Department is precious, owing to varied flora and fauna, development activity is prohibited.

Senior officials said that even if the construction work for any project had to be taken up, it could be done only after the Forest Department and the State government gave their consent. And even under such circumstances, Forest land could never be used for slaughter houses.

Officials of the Department of Municipal Administration and Water Supply said that the proposal to build a modern slaughter house was on the lines of a Government Order (Ms. No. 72) of May 2007. The G.O. had sanctioned the construction of such facilities in 65 municipalities throughout Tamil Nadu for meeting norms stipulated by the Supreme Court on slaughter of animals.

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