SC directs CEC to survey forests in Agasthyamalai for encroachments, Pg 10

• Supreme Court directed Central Empowered Committee (CEC) to conduct an extensive survey of Agasthyamalai tropical forests in the southern Western Ghats.

• Objective: Identify encroachments, non-forestry activities, and initiate restoration of pristine habitats.

• Agasthyamalai is a 3,500 sq km UNESCO-recognised biosphere reserve shared by Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

• Includes Periyar Tiger Reserve, Srivilliputhur Sanctuary, and other key wildlife corridors.

• Court cited urbanisation, unchecked industrialisation, and plantations as key drivers of forest degradation.

• A comparative report will assess forest cover changes over decades to guide future conservation.

• Came in response to petitions regarding depletion of reserved forests and rehabilitation of evicted workers (e.g., Singampatti estate case under Wildlife Protection Act).

• The SC's proactive move reinforces the need for scientific forest management and landscape-level planning.

• States must collaborate with the CEC to implement restorative and community-inclusive forest governance.

Mains Mock Question:

"Discuss the significance of judicial activism in addressing environmental degradation in India. Evaluate the ecological and policy importance of the Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve."