It was also told that the NGT had directed the constitution of an oversight committee (OC) to oversee the progress regarding removal of encroachments from forests and their restitution.
The committee was to be headed by the Director General (Forest), Ministry of Environment Forests and Climate Change and had been ordered to hold a meeting at least once a month.
Justice Singh noted that there should have been at least 34 meetings but the minutes of meetings showed that the committee met barely half-a-dozen times.
“Another shocking aspect is that of the 394 hectares of forest land which has been encroached, only 82 hectares have been made free over a period of four years. It is further submitted by Advocate Madan Lal Sharma and Amicus Curiae that even on this free land, encroachment has come up again,” the Court said.
This showed total disregard for directions issued by the NGT.
“In case, the directions of the NGT are not acted upon scrupulously and in letter and intent and spirit by the oversight committee, this court will be constrained to issued contempt notice against the members of the oversight committee.”
The Court also ordered the authorities filed a comprehensive affidavit detailing the steps taken to reclaim the encroached land, the afforestation action taken and all other details.
The matter will be heard next on December 15.
Source: Barandbench
