CHENNAI: The Madras High Court directed the Union and State governments to file respective counters to the petitions moved by resort owners at Sigur plateau challenging the demolition order.

A special bench of Justice N Sathish Kumar and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy heard a batch of cases preferred by the resort owners against the demolition order issued by the State and upheld by an inquiry committee.

Accepting the request of the counsels, the bench posted the matter to March 6 for arguments and directed the Union and State governments to file counters, which should be served to the petitioners in advance on February 26, ordered the bench.

In 1991, the Tamil Nadu government has published an order announcing the Sigur plateau, Nilgiri as elephant corridor and also announced 1.92 lakh acres in Nilgiris and Gudalur as private forest under Tamil Nadu Preservation of Private Forest act.

Aggrieved by this order, resort owners operating from the Sigur plateau moved the Supreme Seeking to quash the government order.

The Supreme Court upheld the government order and also constituted an inquiry committee to recieve the objections from the resort owners and pass an appropriately order.

The Sigur Plateau Elephant Corridor Inquiry Committee committee was headed by retired Judge K Venkatraman.

After completing the investigation, on August 21, 2023, the committee passed an order to evict the resort owners from the elephant corridor.

Based on the order the district administration issued demolition notice to the resort owners, aggrieved by this they moved the petitions.