Supreme Court of India issued directions
for removal of encroachers and demolition of illegal structures in the
Agasthyamalai landscape
¨
Supreme Court of India
issued directions on 30 May 2026 for removal of encroachers and demolition of
illegal structures in the Agasthyamalai landscape.
¨
The order applies to
forest areas within the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve, which is a
UNESCO-recognised biosphere reserve.
¨
The landscape lies in the
southern Western Ghats and spans parts of Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
¨
The directions cover
removal of illegal resorts, commercial establishments, government facilities,
and other unauthorised constructions inside forest areas.
¨
Protected areas included
in the order are Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve and Meghamalai Wildlife
Sanctuary.
¨ The Central Empowered Committee reported more than 4,600 encroachers occupying over 5,000 hectares of forest land in the Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve.
¨ The committee also identified 116 government and public utility structures built without statutory approval.
