NGT directs district collector to clarify status of encroached reserve forest land in Pune

The principal bench of the NGT in September 2024 took suo moto action and registered a case based on a report titled ‘Forest department struggling to regain 14,000 hectares of land in Pune’ published in Hindustan Times on August 28

The western bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) issued an order on March 3 directing the Pune district collector to submit a report on the current status of encroachment on reserve forest land allocated by the revenue department in the district.

In some areas, permanent buildings and slums have been set up ,and hence, it has become very difficult to obtain possession of such pa portion due to litigation. (REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO)

The tribunal also asked the official to provide information about the ongoing litigation in various courts regarding the forest land. The next hearing for this case is set for April 25.

The principal bench of the NGT in September 2024 took suo moto action and registered a case based on a report titled ‘Forest department struggling to regain 14,000 hectares of land in Pune’ published in Hindustan Times on August 28.

In response to the direction by the principal bench, the forest department recently submitted an affidavit stating that 22,076.26 hectares of reserved forest had been taken back by the forest department from the revenue department. However, an area of 14,631.03 hectares of land is still in the possession of the revenue department, which could not be taken back by the forest department, as some portions of the same have been allotted by the revenue officers to agriculturists, ex-army men, etc. and some portions are under encroachments and litigation has been going on in respect of those portions in the civil and revenue courts.

In some areas, permanent buildings and slums have been set up ,and hence, it has become very difficult to obtain possession of such pa portion due to litigation.

Jitendra Dudi, Pune district collector, said, “We will take appropriate action after collecting the information about thi particular case.” 

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India (MOEFCC) in its response to NGT said that they have asked state government of Maharashtra to provide a factual report with respect to the allegations of conversion of forest land. The report is still awaited; hence the ministry will submit it response once the report is received.