Court Protects Animals Over Business Interests
The Supreme Court of India has stated that it will always support animals, especially when businesses cause them harm. This decision came during a case about elephant migration paths.
The Case: Elephant Corridors in Tamil Nadu
The court heard cases from several wildlife resorts. These resorts were asked to leave their locations after the Tamil Nadu government marked specific areas as "elephant corridors" in the Sigur Plateau, Nilgiris.
- Elephant corridors are routes that elephants use to move safely.
- Building on these paths stops elephants from moving freely.
High Court's Earlier Decision
On September 12, a High Court agreed with a special committee. This committee, set up by the Supreme Court, had found that:
- Land bought by private groups on the elephant corridors in Sigur Plateau was illegal.
- Any buildings on this land must be removed.
Resort owners had challenged these findings, saying they bought the land legally. However, the committee, led by former judge K Venkataraman, confirmed its findings.
Many Buildings Found in Elephant Paths
The district leader of Nilgiris told the Supreme Court that there were over 800 buildings inside the Sigur elephant corridor. This included:
- 39 resorts
- 390 houses
Last year, officials sent notices to 35 resorts, telling them they needed to tear down their buildings.
Resort Owners' Argument
Lawyers for the resort owners, Salman Khurshid and Shoeb Alam, argued that their clients bought the land before the elephant corridors were officially declared. They asked if the resorts could continue their eco-friendly work without building anything new.
Supreme Court's Final Stance
The Supreme Court bench, including Chief Justice Surya Kant, made it clear:
"The committee's report is clear โ all of you are there for business, and you are on the elephant corridor. This definitely stops elephants from moving. If there's ever a doubt about who should benefit, it must be these silent victims (elephants and wild animals) of business growth."
However, the court agreed to hear all the petitions together. The next and final hearing is set for January 5.
