Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve

About Kalakkad-Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve:

• Location: It is located in the Southern Western Ghats in the Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts of Tamil Nadu. 
• It was established as a Tiger Reseve in 1988.
• This reserve is a mixture of three main sanctuaries: Kalakad Sanctuary, Mundanthurai Sanctuary, and a part of Kanyakumari Sanctuary.
• Nestled between Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the Agastya Malai Hill Range forms the core area of the sanctuary and is part of one of the world's 18 biodiversity hotspots. 
• The reserve is also known as the “River Sanctuary”, with as many as 14 rivers originating from this Tiger Reserve.
• Terrain: Undulating with several valleys and porous rocks.
• Vegetation:
  • It varies from thorny shrub jungles to lush evergreen forests.
  • In addition to forests, savannah woodlands, and grasslands, there are tea and coffee plantations within the reserve.
  • Flora: Important species include Sarcandra, Paphiopedulum, druryi, Hopea parviflora, Hopea utilis, Calophylum elatum, Cullenia exarillata, etc.
• Fauna: Tiger, leopard, rusty spotted cat, wild dog, sloth bear, elephant, gaur, sambar, spotted deer, mouse deer, nilgiri langur, slender loris, bonnet macaque, lion tailed macaque, etc.

Q1) What is a Public Interest Litigation (PIL)?

According to the Supreme Court (in Janata Dal v. H.S.Chaudhary, 1993) Public Interest Litigation (PIL)  means a legal action started in a court of law for the enforcement of public/general interest where the public or a particular class of the public have some interest (including pecuniary interest) that affects their legal rights or liabilities.Public Interest is the interest belonging to a particular class of the community that affects their legal rights or liabilities.

Source: Plea to restrict entry of outsiders inside Kalakkad - Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve to protect flora, fauna