HC impleads forest official in Kalvarayan Hills suo motu case
CHENNAI: Concerning the impediment caused because of the recent hooch tragedy that killed more than people, the High Court impleaded the principal chief conservator of the forest in the suo motu case initiated to protect the socio-economic status of the tribal people living around the Kalvarayan Hills and directed the forest department to inspect the region.
A division bench of Justice SM Subramaniam and Justice C Kumarappan also granted further time to the State to complete the inspection and examine the present status of the people living in the villages around the Kalvarayan Hills. The bench posted the matter on August 21 for further submission.
The bench took suo motu cognizance to protect the socio-economic status of the downtrodden Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) people residing in various villages in Kalvarayan Hills at Kallakurichi after the hooch tragedy. The bench was shocked over the history of Kalvarayan Hills that three Jagirdar families ruled over the people of that region and treated them as slaves before it was annexed with Indian territory in 1976. It also expressed disappointment that these people were provided voter rights only in 1996, 20 years after the annexation. Observing that the region is still underdeveloped due to economic backwardness and unemployment, the bench criticised the state government for neglecting these people. Observing that the lack of livelihood and basic facilities has pushed these people to resort to manufacturing illicit liquor, the bench directed the authorities to inspect the villages surrounding the Kalvarayan hills to devise a solution to uplift these people.