Man is the most insane species: Madras HC raps Tamil Nadu over sand dune land allotment

The Madras high court on Thursday set aside a Tamil Nadu government order allotting ecologically sensitive sand dune land to a private school as compensation for property earlier resumed, censuring the state for acting “recklessly” and failing to appreciate the environmental and cultural significance of the site.

Justice D Bharatha Chakravarthy quoted French-Canadian astrophysicist Hubert Reeves, who said, “Man is the most insane species. He worships an invisible God and destroys a visible nature. Unaware that this nature he’s destroying is this God he’s worshipping.” The judge then said, “Sand dunes are natural buffers that protect the land from storms and other events. They act as sand reservoirs. They are habitats for certain flora and fauna. They are an eco-sensitive system of utmost importance. Without realising that these sand dunes are also the incarnation of Lord Sri Devanatha Swami (deity of the temple), the authorities deemed it fit to allocate them to the school for development.”

Govt's order quashed, govt directed to provide relief

Quashing the government order issued on July 1, 2025, the court directed the state to either allot suitable alternative land closer to Cuddalore or compensate St Joseph’s Matriculation Higher Secondary School for the property taken from it.

Dispute over resumed land and distant alternative site

The school had originally purchased 5.77 acres through a government order in 1979. In 2009, the state resumed the land, claiming it belonged to a temple. Following court directions, the government later allotted 4.5 acres about 34 km from Cuddalore town, prompting the school to challenge the decision again on the grounds that the site comprised sand dunes and lacked proper road access.

Court stresses fair compensation and compliance

The high court noted that the resumed land was valued at around ₹8 crore, while the alternative site was estimated at only ₹2 crore. Emphasising that the state must act conscientiously and in the true spirit of judicial directions, the court said compensation must be fair, practical and in line with earlier orders.

(With inputs from TOI)