Impose night ban on vehicular movements on Bannari–Karapallam road in STR: HC

Holding that wildlife and forest should be preserved, the Madras High Court on Tuesday directed the State Forest Department not to allow any vehicular movement from dusk to dawn on the Bannari – Karappallam road stretch of NH-948 in Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve, Erode.

The first bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy granted the injunction on hearing a petition moved by activist and lawyer SP Chockalingam.

The petitioner sought direction to the State government to impose a complete ban on vehicles from 9 pm to 6 am and a ban on heavy commercial vehicles between 6 pm to 6 am on the stretch of road between Bannari and Karapallam in NH 948 citing that several animals die in road accidents.

On recording the submissions, the bench observed that forest department officers could not simply sit in their offices without adhering to the orders of the court. They are getting salaries only to protect the wildlife and forests.

“Erode collector is directed to implement the ban for vehicles from 6 pm to 6 am from February 10, 2022, on Bannari – Karappallam road stretch in NH 948,” the bench observed.

The petitioner submitted that about 155 animals have died in the past 10 years due to the accidents in this stretch. He also pointed out that banning the night traffic between Bannari and Karapallam in NH 948 no inconvenience would be caused to the travellers, as there is a better alternative route for travel from Coimbatore to Bengaluru.

The government advocate appearing for the Forest Department informed the bench that an order imposing a traffic ban in the night hours was passed in 2019 and the same was lifted due to the objections raised by the local people. 

However, the court rejected that submission by the forest department and directed the respondents to impose a ban on traffic movements during night hours in STR and asked the forest department to file a response about its failure in implementing the earlier direction of the court to impose a ban on the night traffic in STR.

The judges adjourned the matter to February 15.