V. Jeevakumar v. The Prl.Secretary To Govt. Of India
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 05.06.2020
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE P.N.PRAKASH AND THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE B.PUGALENDHI and W.M.P(MD)No.5866 of 2020 V.Jeevakumar ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The Principal Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Agricultural and Farmer's Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi.
2.The Principal Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, New Delhi.
3.Plant Protection Adviser, Locust Warning Organisation, Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine & Storage, NH-IV, Faridabad - 121 001 (Haryana).
4.The Principal Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu, Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Secretariat, Chennai.
5.The Agricultural Production Commissioner and Principal Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu, Department of Agricultural, Food Processing, Farmers Welfare, Secretariat, Chennai.
... Respondents Prayer : Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, seeking to issue a writ of Mandamus to direct the respondents to take effective steps to prevent the invasion of Desert Locusts in Tamil Nadu and further direct the respondents to take effective steps to increase the forest cover up to 33% of the State's geographical area.
For Petitioner : Mr.P.Ganapathi Subramanian 1/3
For Respondents : Mr.V.Kathirvelu Assistant Solicitor General of India assisted by Mr.K.Prabhu, Central Government Standing Counsel for R.1 to R.3 Mr.K.Chellapandian, Additional Advocate General assisted by Mr.R.Sethuraman Special Government Pleader for R.4 & R.5
ORDER
[Order of the Court was made by P.N.PRAKASH,J.] Heard Mr.P.Ganapathi Subramanian, learned Counsel for the petitioner, Mr.V.Kathirvelu, learned Assistant Solicitor General of India appearing for the respondents 1 to 3 and Mr.K.Chellapandian, learned Additional Advocate General appearing for the respondents 4 and 5.
2. At the time of hearing, the learned Additional Advocate General appearing for the respondents 4 and 5 detailed the steps that are being taken by the Government to prevent the locust attack in Tamil Nadu. He also filed a counter affidavit sworn to by the Principal Secretary to Government, Agricultural Department, Government of Tamil Nadu, in this regard.
3. The learned Assistant Solicitor General of India appearing for the respondents 1 to 3 submitted that the Branch of the third respondent Organisation is in Trichy and the Central Government is also monitoring the situation.
4. Recording the same, this writ petition is closed. No costs. Consequently, the connected writ miscellaneous petition is also closed.
Sd/- Assistant Registrar // True Copy // / /2020 Sub Assistant Registrar(CS) Rsb 2/3
Note: In view of the present lock down owing to COVID-19 pandemic, a web copy of the order may be utilized for official purposes, but, ensuring that the copy of the order that is presented is the correct copy, shall be the responsibility of the advocate/litigant concerned.
To 1.The Principal Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Agricultural and Farmer's Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi.
2.The Principal Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, New Delhi.
3.Plant Protection Adviser, Locust Warning Organisation, Directorate of Plant Protection Quarantine & Storage, NH-IV, Faridabad - 121 001 (Haryana).
4.The Principal Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu, Department of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Secretariat, Chennai.
5.The Agricultural Production Commissioner and Principal Secretary to Government of Tamil Nadu, Department of Agricultural, Food Processing, Farmers Welfare, Secretariat, Chennai.
+1 CC to M/s.K.PRABHU, Advocate ( SR-13101[F] dated 05/06/2020 ) and W.M.P(MD)No.5866 of 2020 05.06.2020 AP(16/06/2020) 3P 7C 3/3