Order of the National Green Tribunal regarding private forest area, within State of Maharashtra, 03/12/2015
Order of the National Green Tribunal (Western Zone Bench, Pune) in the matter of Shobha Phadanvis Vs. State of Maharashtra & Ors. dated 03/12/2015 regarding private forest area, within State of Maharashtra.
Affidavit of Pradeep Kumar, Chief Conservator of Forest (Land Record) filed on 3rd December 2015 shows that the identified forests of private areas in the state have not been demarcated and mapped so far.
By way of ad-interim relief, NGT directed that Chief Secretary of State of Maharashtra shall issue instructions to all the Collectors of all the Districts, in the State of Maharashtra or the other competent authorities concerned, to restrain themselves from issuing of any permission to convert the land use, at such identified private forest areas, specifically by felling trees and using of agricultural land for commercial purpose, until further orders without justification, viz. urgent necessity of establishment of any essential industries or infrastructure project, which may be vetted from the competent authority and be put forth for approval of the National Green Tribunal without any delay through concerned Divisional Commissioner which the Tribunal shall consider immediately, as far as possible, within a day or two, depending upon bonafides and need based requirement of such connotation of the land use.