Thu Apr 03 17:21:50 UTC 2025: ## Madurai High Court Seeks State Response on Vellimalai Sacred Grove Designation
**Madurai, April 3, 2025** – The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has requested a response from the Tamil Nadu government regarding a public interest litigation (PIL) petition. The petition urges the government to designate the Vellimalai Sacred Grove in Idayapatti, Madurai district, as a Biodiversity Heritage Site.
The PIL, filed by V. Karthick of Melur, highlights the grove’s rich biodiversity, including 23 mammal species, 187 plant species, 98 bird species, and 43 butterfly species, as documented by the Madurai Culture and Nature Forum. The petitioner emphasized the grove’s historical significance, noting its traditional community-based conservation efforts and a recent gram sabha resolution supporting its protection. He also pointed out the presence of medicinal plants like Kadambam and Usilai.
Karthick argued that the grove’s size has shrunk from 3,500 acres in the 1950s to approximately 1,500 acres currently, underscoring the need for its official protection. He cited the state’s previous designation of Biodiversity Heritage Sites in Arittapatti and Meenakshipuram, and more recently in Kasampatty (Veerakoil), as precedents for granting the same status to Vellimalai. The court is awaiting the state government’s response.
First Piper 