Eliminate loosely hanging HT lines in forest areas: HC

CHENNAI: In a bid to protect the elephants, a division bench of Madras High Court on Monday directed the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (Tangedco) to eliminate the menace of loosely hanging high tension power lines in the western ghats and other forest areas.

The bench comprising Justice N Sathish Kumar and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy passed the direction on hearing the batch of cases filed for curbing the forest offenses in the state.

When a matter against the death of jumbos on contacting loosely hanging HT live power lines came before the bench, the judges recalled an order of a Madras HC’s Madurai bench order directing the state to remove the insecurely hanging live power lines in forest areas in Megamalai forests in Theni district.

“The Madurai bench’s order will apply all over the state. The Tangedco shall submit a counter to remove those loosely hanging power lines within September 5,” the bench observed.

The judges also warned that if Tangedco fails to implement the direction, they will summon the Tangedco managing director.

While hearing another case, the bench directed the government to transfer forest department staff who are working in a certain place continuously for more than a decade.

“When a staff continues to work in a place for more than 10 years, there are chances that they would collude with anti-social elements. The forest department shall file a report explaining how many staffs are working in a particular place for more than years and how many people were transferred in the last three years, " the judges noted.