The Supreme Court on Monday initiated a suo motu case over the illegal grabbing of forest land in Uttarakhand, expressing strong disapproval of the state authorities’ inaction.
Chief Justice Surya Kant,
addressing the bench, remarked, “It’s shocking that the State and its authorities are sitting like mute spectators when forest land is being grabbed in front of their eyes.”
Observing the gravity of the situation, the court directed the Chief Secretary and the Principal Conservation Secretary of Uttarakhand to immediately form an enquiry committee to assess the extent of encroachments and submit a comprehensive report.
The court further restrained private parties from creating any third-party rights over the forest land and prohibited any construction on such land pending the inquiry.
Vacant forest land, excluding residential houses, has been ordered to be taken into possession by the forest department.
The CJI’s remarks underscored the Supreme Court’s concern about the apparent negligence of the state authorities in preventing illegal occupation of forest land.
“Thus we initiate a suo motu case,” the bench observed, emphasising the need for immediate and effective action.
State authorities had recently conducted an anti-encroachment drive at the Corbett Tiger Reserve in Ramnagar, Nainital district, on December 8, according to a PTI report.
Officials stated that the operation freed 25 hectares of forest land that had been illegally occupied by encroachers in Pucchdi village under the Upper Kosi forest range of the Terai West forest division.
CTR Director Saket Badola said that notices had been issued to 52 encroachers last year, requesting them to remove illegal structures voluntarily.
As the notices went unheeded, the authorities proceeded to demolish the structures.
He added that some encroachers with stay orders from the Uttarakhand High Court were exempted from the demolition operation.
Ramnagar Sub-Divisional Magistrate Pramod Kumar, who oversaw the drive, confirmed that around fifteen individuals attempting to obstruct the operation were briefly detained by police but were later released.
He described the drive as having been completed peacefully.
The operation also cleared land previously allotted to the Ramnagar Municipal Council as a trenching ground, which had been encroached upon, and handed it back to the municipal authorities.
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