Our Legal Correspondent

Chennai April 27 The Madras High Court has directed Tamil Nadu Forest Department officials to issue requisite Form III document to timber merchants who want to transport silver oak timber logs from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu.

The order effectively removes red tape in movement of timber between the States.

The petitioners contended that they were bringing silver oak timber logs from Karnataka with valid documents and transit permit issued by that Government.

While they entered check posts set up by TN Forest Department, permit in Form III was required. (Form III is to be exchanged with Form II, given by Karnataka. But since silver oak is exempted from the purview of the Karnataka Forest Rules, the authorities do not issue the Form II transport permit.)

But TN authorities insisted on presentation of Form II permit, without which they would not issue Form III, thereby preventing merchants from transporting the timber to.

Mr Justice K Chandru held that stand taken by respondents was strange.

"If Karnataka forest officials did not issue Form II for carrying silver oak timber, timber merchants could not be expected to carry Form II so as to exchange same for Form III to be issued by respondents (Tamil Nadu Government).

"This would unnecessarily create a bottleneck and unnecessary expenditure and it would frustrate timber trade, resulting in a source of corruption."

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