Ministry Axes 178-Hectare State Land Lease following Violent Camp-Thorel Unrest

Agro-Industry Ministry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries has cancelled a major land lease following a string of compliance failures and a night of violent unrest that gripped a local village.

A formal Notice of Cancellation was sent by registered post on 23 May 2026 to the Société Hémisphère de l’Est, terminating their contract to use 178.68 hectares of state land located across Desenne & Valton, Rochery, Le Clerc, and Gallanty. Under the strict terms of the agreement, the lease will officially expire 48 hours after the notice’s issuance.

The firm, represented by Kher Kavish Lutchmeeparsad and Mukesh Rughoohur, had originally secured the hunting, fishing, and ecotourism rights for a seven-year term running from 5 September 2022 to 4 September 2029.

However, the ministry’s Forestry Service—operating under the Agro-Industry and Food Security division—flagged that the company had repeatedly breached multiple provisions of the Shooting and Fishing Leases Act, alongside several specific conditions outlined in their contract. This triggered the invocation of Clause 9 of the lease agreement to strip the company of its land rights.

The state’s decisive intervention comes as the Société Hémisphère de l’Est finds itself at the centre of a bitter controversy.

The firm has been heavily linked to a night of violence that recently plunged the village of Camp-Thorel into panic.

Local police have launched a formal investigation into the unrest, and four individuals have already been arrested in connection with the incident.

Source: Le Mauricien