The Uttarakhand High Court has recently taken a resolute position concerning the felling of 6,000 trees and the unauthorized construction within the renowned Jim Corbett Park.
The Court has inquired of the government as to why an inquiry conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation should not be conducted regarding the matter.
Previously during the proceedings of PIL, the bench presided over by the Chief Justice remarked that, as per the seriousness of the situation and the questionable roles of high-ranking officials, why not refer it to the CBI?
The next hearing has been fixed for September 1.
It has been reported that between 2017 & 2022, trees were felled in Jim Corbett to facilitate the development of Tiger Safari and other tourism-related amenities. Notably, constructions including boundary walls and buildings emerged within the premises of the National Park. This period coincided with Harak Singh Rawat’s tenure as the Forest Minister of the state.
While hearing the PIL filed by Dehradun resident Anu Pant, the bench questioned the government.
The petitioner stated in court that, multiple reports detailing the felling of 6,000 trees within Corbett. These reports were comprehensively presented before the court by the petitioner’s advocate, Abhijay Negi.
In response, the court directed an inquiry to the Chief Standing Counsel of the Government, questioning the absence of measures taken against the former Forest Minister, Harak Singh Rawat, and other senior forest officers whose names were implicated in various reports. In response, the Chief Temporary Advocate conveyed that the Chief Secretary would present correct facts before the court.
Significantly, the name of the former Forest Minister, Harak Singh Rawat, prominently featured in the report of the Central Empowered Committee. This report was duly presented in the court. Furthermore, the name of the ex-Forest Minister also appeared in the report submitted to the National Green Tribunal.
