MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Industries Department Secretary, Chief Conservator of Forests and Tirunelveli District Forest Officer to file their replies to a petition seeking relocation of spotted deer from the Gangaikondan Part I and II and Thalaivayuthu reserve forests to suitable habitats in the Western Ghats.
Muthuraman of Railway Feeder Road, Tirunelveli, filed the public interest litigation seeking directions to relocate the spotted deer to areas suitable for their habitat. He also sought a direction to the authorities not to permit the establishment of new industries in the areas until the relocation exercise was completed.
Hearing the petition, a division bench comprising Justices CV Karthikeyan and Sakthivel directed the respondents to file their counter-affidavits and posted the next hearing of this case on 4th November.