The Uttarakhand High Court recently disposed of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) alleging forest land was being sold and bought in certain areas of District Dehradun, contravening the Uttar Pradesh Consolidation of Holdings Act and the Gazette Notification dated October 11, 1952.
The petitioner sought various reliefs, including rectification of revenue records, investigation by the CBI or an independent agency, restriction on sale and construction activities on disputed forest land, and declaration of transactions as null and void.
The petitioner also prayed for the establishment of a monitoring committee to ensure preservation of the Himalayan ecosystem and implementation of forest conservation laws.
The court comprising Acting Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari and Justice Pankaj Purohit disposed of the petition, granting liberty to the petitioner to approach the concerned Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) with a representation.
The DFO is required to constitute a team of forest officers to investigate the allegations and pass necessary orders within six months of receiving the representation.