Telangana HC concerned about repeated forest offences
Hyderabad: Justice N.V. Shravan Kumar of the Telangana High Court lamented on August 5, 2024 that despite several directions of the constitutional courts, forest offenses continue aplenty. He stressed that ‘the material resources, especially forests, have to be maintained delicately for the purpose of ecological balance and the forests are to be protected for a proper and healthy environment which enables people to enjoy quality of life which is essence of Article 21 of the Constitution of India.’ The judge took cognizance of the fact that ‘though several directions were issued, and the offenses are checked, yet the forest offenses are committed either by small time offenders or companies involved In mega projects and in view of the same, several trees of the forest areas have been either cut down or the forest lands are ploughed illegally. In cases of forest offenses leading to deforestation, the judge made clear that a considerable number of trees in proportionate to the area damaged, i.e., forest land illegally ploughed or involved in any forest offence including cutting of trees. The judge was dealing with a writ filed by Made Mallesh who challenged the authorities in not releasing his tractor seized on July 1, 2024. The petitioner was accused of illegal trespass, clearing forest bush wood growth and ploughing for grabbing of forest land in Kushnepally Range. Petitioner was charged for offences under the Telangana Forest Act, 1967 in attempting to encroach the forest land and grab the forest land situated adjacent to their village and by forming teams, laying the plans to grab the forest land and for bringing pressure on the forest and wildlife. In addition to the usual conditions for furnishing bond for a sum of Rs 50,000/- with two sureties and undertakings that the petitioner shall not alienate, encumber or transfer the tractor in question, the judge also directed the petitioner to plant 200 trees at a rate of 100 plantations per acre in the Kushnepally Range, covering a total area of two acres. The forest officials were directed to supply saplings of plants in the implementation of this order.