FGG moves Telangana HC against decision to issue pattas to encroachers

Forum for Good Governance (a non-profit organisation) represented by its Secretary M Padmanabha Reddy has knocked on the doors of the High Court against the decision of the Tribal Welfare Department, represented by its Principal Secretary, in issuing the impugned memo dated November 5, 2021, to undertake a special drive to give pattas to illegal, ineligible, and non-existing encroachers of Reserve Forests to the extent of 11.5 lakh acres. In its PIL, the FGG urged the court to order the defendants not to distribute patta certificates while the PIL was pending and to stay the contested memo issued on November 5, 2021.

The FGG named the State government represented by its Chief Secretary (GAD), the Union of India, the Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, the Special Chief Secretary, Environment, Forest, Science & Technology Department, the Principal Secretary, Tribal Welfare department, the Commissioner of Tribal Welfare, the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, and the Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change. The PIL will likely be listed before the CJ bench in a day or two.