Chennai: The Additional District and Sessions Judge, Tirunelveli, has dismissed an appeal of M/s. Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Ltd, Singampatti Group Manjolai, challenging declaration of the estate as forest land by the Forest Settlement Officer and Tahsildar, Ambasamudram, in 2010.
In the order, Additional District and Sessions Judge, P. Dhanapal, said “the company is not entitled to any relief. Hence, this court need not interfere with the order of Forest Settlement Officer”.
According to group manager of Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Ltd., Singampatti Group Manjolai, the Company was incorporated under the Companies Act and obtained lease of an extent of 8373.57 acres from the Singampatti Zamindar through lease deed of February 1929 for 99-years.
The lease was granted for development and cultivation of crops like coffee, tea, cinchona, pepper, rubber and other plants. The lease deed initially prohibited sale or barter of the cut, cultivated timber and other forest products available in the process of development for the purpose of cultivation.
Subsequently, the deed was amended thrice and it permitted sale of timber, fire wood and other benefits to the company. The company claimed it was the lawful holder of the estate for the remaining period of lease.
