RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh High Court hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) on the forest land being allegedly intruded on and used for creating concrete structures to run multi-activity centres without securing the mandatory approval on diversion from the union forest ministry, said that “trees and wildlife cannot come to court but someone has to (on their behalf).”
A division bench of acting Chief Justice Goutam Bhaduri and Justice NK Chandravanshi has served notices to the Centre and the state government seeking a reply to the petition within three weeks.
DK Soni and Sandeep Tiwari, who filed the petition through counsel Aditi Singhvi, stated that several Gauthans (cattle shelter premises as a multi-activity unit) have been set up on forested land without the requisite permission in violation of The Forest Conservation Act 1980.
The court observed that if such construction were carried out in the forested area against the law, they would have to be demolished. The approval of the forest ministry is mandatory for the diversion of forest land before commencing any construction work or activities. But it was not done.