Madras High Court orders demolition of 87 illegal resorts to protect elephant corridors

The Madras High Court in India ordered the immediate demolition of 87 unauthorized commercial resort buildings and other structures located within the Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve.

These buildings sit in the Erode district of Tamil Nadu on an ecologically sensitive passage used by elephants. The court issued the ruling after reviewing public interest lawsuits and administrative inspection findings. Judges found that these commercial enterprises breached protections for tiger habitats and violated the Tamil Nadu Forest Act.

The court also noted that the developers ignored environmental impact assessment requirements and engaged in unapproved nighttime tourism and commercial activity along the forest edges. The bench emphasized that maintaining connected routes is essential to reducing conflict between local people and wildlife. Conservationists believe removing these structures will reopen migration routes across the landscape that links the Western and Eastern Ghats, which are mountain ranges in southern India.

The court ordered authorities to immediately cut off electricity and water connections to all properties covered by the demolition directive. The ruling also targeted officials who approved the unlawful layouts, instructing state authorities to pursue penalties against them.