Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court registered a suo motu PIL against the Assam Forest Department based on a media report that 23 Forest Divisions in the state do not have approved working plans.
According to a report published in an English daily, out of 33 forest divisions in Assam, 23 have no approved working plans.
Registering the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on April 25, Justice Suman Shyam issued notice to the Assam government and the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force, Assam.
“We have come across a report Published in the daily newspaper ‘The Sentinel’, published from Guwahati and Dibrugarh, in its edition dated 18″ April, 2023, which reflects that 23 Forest Divisions in Assam do not have approved working plans,” Justice Shyam said in the notice.
“This state of affairs is prevailing despite the fact that Hon‘ble the Supreme Court has time and again mandated that all Forest Divisions must have working plans.
“The report further indicates that the Forest Department is being run according to the whims and fancies of a section of Indian Forest Service officers who do not even take the concerned minister into confidence before formulating policies. This is indeed a serious issue pertaining to the environment and hence, we take Suo Moto cognizance of this newspaper report,” the HC said.
The high court has listed the matter for hearing on Thursday. (27 April).