JUDGMENT

1. The above case has been Suo Motu registered by this Tribunal on the basis of the newspaper report published in The New Indian Express, Chennai Edition dated 10.03.2021, under the caption “TN proposes 3 Km canal in eco-sensitive zone.”

2. It was alleged in the newspaper report that the State Government has applied for wild life clearance from the standing committee of National Board for Wildlife (NBWL) to build 3 km long canal inside the notified eco-sensitive zone of Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR) with an intention to link Ramanadhi and Jambhunadhi rivers, the two tributaries of Thamirabarani river. The project envisages diverting surplus water from Ramanadhi to Jambhunadhi to irrigate over 1,369 hectares of agricultural land.

3. It was also seen from the newspaper report that the wild life board sought for certain clarification as to whether they have any intention to cross the eco-sensitive zone of the Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve (KMTR), as it was not clear from the application filed by them and it appears to have been filed by the Public Works Department (PWD) on the premises that no part of the eco sensitive zone is being used for this purpose. It wa