Cancellation of lease: HC grants interim relief to BBTCL

In a relief to the Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Limited (BBTCL), the Madras High Court has restrained officials from interfering with lawful operation of its tea estate in Tirunelveli district consequent to an order of the Tamil Nadu government cancelling the lease of over 8,000 acres.

Justice V Parthiban gave the interim injunction effective till February 21 on a fresh writ petition filed by the plantation company and posted the matter to that day for further hearing.

The petitioner sought the temporary injunction after the commissioner of land administration had on January 30 cancelled the 99-year lease of land given to the company valid till February 2028 for alleged violation of lease conditions.

The court, in its order last week, restrained the land administration and forest department officials in any manner interfering with the lawful operation of the tea estate, including the company's rights of ingress and egress and movement of men and materials for its business.

On another related petition, the judge impleaded the principal chief conservator of forests, the field director of Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve and the deputy director and wildlife warden of Ambasamudram in Tirunelveli district.

The judge, however, noted that there was no need to pass any interim order till the next date of hearing (February 21) since a division bench had earlier kept in abeyance the commissioner of land administration's order cancelling the lease on another petition by the company.

In view of the direction by the bench, no further interim order need to be passed in the present writ petition, Justice Parthiban said.