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W.P.(MD)No.22097 of 2025

BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT

DATED: 28.01.2026

CORAM

THE HONOURABLE Mr. JUSTICE KRISHNAN RAMASAMY

W.P.(MD)No.22097 of 2025 &

W.M.P(MD)No.17205 of 2025

V.Mathanmohan ...Petitioner

vs.

1.The District Collector,

Dindigul District, Dindigul.

2.The District Forest Officer,

Dindigul District, Dindigul.

3.The Forest Range Officer,

Natham Range,

Natham, Dindigul District.

4.The Additional Chief Secretary to Government,

Environment, Climate Change and Forest Department,

St.George Fort,

Chennai - 600 009. ...Respondents

(R4 is suo motu impleaded vide Court order dated 23.10.2025

in W.P.(MD)No.22097 of 2025)

Prayer: Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of Constitution of India, praying

to issue a Writ of Mandamus directing the respondents to take appropriate

steps to restore and maintain the public pathway as notified in Government

Gazette No.41, dated 20.10.1891, running from Uluppakudi, Kannimar Koil,

via S.F.No.1 (Old S.F.No.2) to Kallanai Karuppusamy Koil and Kannimar

Ootru, falling within the Reserve Forest limits of Punnapatti Village, Natham

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W.P.(MD)No.22097 of 2025

Taluk, Dindigul District, thereby enabling the Petitioner to access his

agricultural land situated in New S.F.No.1 (Old S.F.No.2), now subdivided

as S.F.Nos.1/2, 1/1A, 1/1B and 1/1C at Karanthamalai Forest Area, Natham

Range, Dindigul District and consequently to forbear the Respondents and

their subordinates from obstructing or preventing the petitioner from using

the alternative pathway from Velayuthampatti, No.1, Puliyamaram,

Pannaikadu, Mondi Mamarathu Ootru Koil Pirivu, Sumai Irakkum

Puliyamaram, Thoppukadu to Kallanai Karuppusamy Koil, which has been

in continuous public and private use including by the petitioner, his

labourers, pending restoration of the original Gazette-notified pathway,

pursuant to the petitioner's representation dated 01.07.2025.

For Petitioner : Mr.B.Saravanan, senior counsel

for Mr.A.N.Ramanathan

For Respondents : Mrs.S.Jeyapriya, Government Advocate

ORDER

This Writ Petition has been filed to direct the respondents to restore

and maintain the public pathway as notified in Government Gazette No.41,

dated 20.10.1891, running from Uluppakudi, Kannimar Koil, via S.F.No.1

(Old S.F.No.2) to Kallanai Karuppusamy Koil and Kannimar Ootru, falling

within the Reserve Forest limits of Punnapatti Village, Natham Taluk,

Dindigul District, thereby enabling the petitioner to access his agricultural

lands situated in New S.F.No.1 (Old S.F.No.2), now subdivided as S.F.Nos.

1/2, 1/1A, 1/1B and 1/1C at Karanthamalai Forest Area, Natham Range,

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W.P.(MD)No.22097 of 2025

Dindigul District and consequently to forbear the respondents from

obstructing or preventing the petitioner from using the alternative pathway

from Velayuthampatti, No.1, Puliyamaram, Pannaikadu, Mondi Mamarathu

Ootru Koil Pirivu, Sumai Irakkum Puliyamaram, Thoppukadu to Kallanai

Karuppusamy Koil, which has been in continuous use by the public and

private, including the petitioner and his labourers, pending restoration of the

original Gazette-notified pathway, by considering the petitioner's

representation dated 01.07.2025.

2. The learned counsel appearing for the petitioner would submit that

the petitioner has given a representation on 01.07.2025 to restore and

maintain the public pathway as notified in Government Gazette No.41, dated

20.10.1891, so as to enable the petitioner to access his agricultural lands and

also to forbear the respondents from restraining the petitioner from using the

alternative pathway, pending restoration of the original Gazette-notified

pathway. However, the same is yet to be considered. Hence, the Writ

Petition.

3. The learned Government Advocate appearing for the respondents

would submit that the representation submitted by the petitioner will be

disposed within the time stipulated by this Court.

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