Supreme Court orders time-bound eviction plan for Agasthyamalai encroachments

Direct fact

On May 29, 2026, the Supreme Court directed a time-bound eviction plan for encroachments in the Agasthyamalai ecological landscape, which spans Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and ordered action against 118 identified serving and retired government servants.

Key specifics

• The Agasthyamalai ecological landscape covers 3,500.36 sq km, according to a July 2025 CEC interim report.
• The protected areas named include Kalakad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve, Srivilliputhur-Megamalai Tiger Reserve, and Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary.
• Theni district reported 4,601 encroachers occupying 5,072.653 hectares of reserved forest land.
• Only 1.8% of the total encroached forest land had been reclaimed, and 15 hectares had been recovered from officials so far.
• The Court cited Rule 3 of the Tamil Nadu Government Servants’ Conduct Rules, 1973, and asked for a plan to be placed before the CEC within one month.

Exam lens

Environment and governance MCQ focus: protected areas, CEC report, forest encroachment figures, and Rule 3 of the 1973 Conduct Rules. TNPSC may ask the landscape name, the 3,500.36 sq km figure, or the one-month deadline before CEC.