Notice to Krishnagiri Collector, DFO on quarry on jumbo corridor

Directing the Krishnagiri Collector and District Forest Officer (DFO), Hosur, to file a detailed counter by February 16, a division bench comprising Justice S Manikumar and Justice V Bhavani Subbaroyan, said, “Till such time, the process for obtaining necessary certificates may go on. But the lease deed shall not be issued.” 

Petitioner Jayashankar Abbaiah has contended in his PIL that large-scale mining operations have been permitted to come up in the district and this has resulted in fragmentation of the landscape leading to the destruction of critical elephant habitat and in turn causing man-elephant conflict. 

He said it was surprising that the Krishnagiri Collector has issued the notification for the auction of lands in villages, including Kammanddodi village, while as early as June 22, 2015, he had addressed a communication to the District Environmental Engineer, PCB, recording the objections of the DFO, Hosur, on the impacts of stone quarries on the elephant migratory route.  

Further, pointing out that the DFO has in fact called for a possible ban on quarry activities owing to rampant man-animal conflict, he said the present notification will only worsen the situation and lead to further fragmentation of elephant corridors.