Reiterating a complete ban on commercial activities on the Segur Plateau Elephant Corridor along the Nilgiris, Madras high court has confirmed the findings of the Segur Plateau Elephant Corridor Inquiry Committee, constituted by the Supreme Court. The committee's ban included resorts and hotels. The parties who purchased the lands are free to hold the lands and cultivate them in an eco-friendly manner without causing any disturbance to the elephants, and without any artificial barriers such as electrical fences, power fences, or solar fences, a special bench of Justice N Sathish Kumar and Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy. "The findings of the committee, headed by former judge Justice K Venkataraman, stand confirmed, except for the finding regarding the handing over of the properties to the govt," said a division bench. The bench directed the TN govt to notify all the revenue lands situated adjacent to the elephant corridor, sanctuary, and buffer zone in and around the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve as reserved forests under the TN Forest Act and hand them over to the forest department. Having notified the elephant corridor, which is the need of the hour to protect elephant movement, the govt has to balance the rights of the parties (landowners) as well. The govt cannot be a mute spectator. This will lead to the situation where the property cannot be used by the owners for any purpose other than commercial activities, the court said. Therefore, the bench has directed the state to acquire all the private lands falling within the corridor by compensating the landowners in a phased manner, which should commence within six months.
 

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