High Court stays Tamil Nadu law allowing felling of rosewood trees

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has temporarily stayed a G.O issued by the state accepting the recommendations of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests for repealing the Tamil Nadu Rosewood Trees (Conservation) Act, 1994.

Key points

• The G.O was issued by the Environment, Climate Change and Forests department on June 9, 2025.
• The submission was created in a status report filed by Nilgiris District Revenue Officer S Vasuki before the bench on Friday.
• A division bench of justices N Sathish Kumar and K Rajasekar passed the orders on a petition filed by Dr T Murugavel, an environmental activist.

Notably, a division bench of justices N Sathish Kumar and K Rajasekar passed the orders on a petition filed by Dr T Murugavel, an environmental activist. The bench, in a recent order, remarked, "The reasons for recommending for repeal of the TN Rosewood (Conservation) Act defy logic for the simple reason that the original Act itself indicates rosewood is a rare species endemic to southern India and almost impossible to regenerate except by natural growth." It ordered the G.O shall be kept in abeyance and stated the authorities shall not grant permission for felling or removal of rosewood trees in any private land.

In practice, the G.O was issued by the Environment, Climate Change and Forests department on June 9, 2025. Senior counsel T Mohan, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the G.O, "issued with vested interest", enables uncontrolled removal of rosewood on patta lands.

For context, the Nilgiris district administration informed the Madras High Court on Friday that 79 illegal resorts in the district have been sealed and 62 more are temporarily closed as part of an ongoing crackdown.

In practice, the submission was created in a status report filed by Nilgiris District Revenue Officer S Vasuki before the bench on Friday. Vasuki remarked 943 establishments have been identified in the district and notices have been issued to them.

On lax in implementation of its earlier orders on removal of seemai karuvelam, the bench directed collectors to release `5 crore each from the district mineral funds for the same.

For now, high Court stays Tamil Nadu law allowing felling of rosewood trees remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.