F.M. Ibrahim Kalifulla, J.

This is a public interest litigation and the petitioner seeks for issuance of a writ of mandamus to direct the respondents not to fell the trees in the land in Survey No.77/3 of Mamandur Village, Thiruttani Taluk, Thiruvallur District in order to implement the Periyar Memorial Samathuvapuram Scheme on the said land or the other lands in Survey Nos.77/8, 77/9, 77/10, 77/11 and 77/12 of the said village and district. According to the petitioner, the lands situated in the said survey numbers are forest lands which are spread in an area of about 24.64.0 Hectares, that the Government, in G.O. Ms. No.195, Department of Environment and Forest dated 19.3.1991, notified the same in the Government Gazette dated 1.5.1991 for formation of a forest in the lands situated in the above survey numbers and that thereafter, objections were also called for vide proceedings dated 30.10.1991 from the general public for reserving the said lands as forest lands.

2. Mr. V. Prakash, learned senior counsel appearing for the petitioner also pointed out that a notification under Section 6 of the Tamil Nadu Forest Act, 1881 came to be issued on 1.9.1991 for the purpose of dec