The Madras High Court today ordered stay on any construction of fireworks units in and around 10 kms of Srivilliputhur forest area where the Grizzled Squirrel Wild Life Sanctuary is situated.
Justice V Ramasubramanian and Justice V M Velumani of the Madurai Bench of the Court ordered stay on construcion works/processing of application for construction and establishment of fireworks units and ordered notice to the Collector of Virudhunagar district and Commissioner of Watrap Panchayat Union in this regard.
The petitioner V Chellakannu, president of Govindanallur village panchayat, submitted that various fireworks factories in the areas tested their products every day creating noise pollution in the area and it would scare the animals in the sanctuary.
The manufacturers of explosives were not subjected to any scrutiny by officials of the forest department under Wild Life Act and they were allowed to have a free run in the eco-sensitive zone, he said.
