DELHI HC EXPOSES GOVERNMENT'S INDIFFERENCE TO FOREST ENCROACHMENT BY BUILDER MAFIA

The Delhi High Court’s sharp criticism and indictment of government officials for their lack of effective action against the encroachment of protected forest land by the builder mafia around Delhi may have exposed the government’s evident indifference to this issue.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

A bench headed by Acting Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, who was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL), which had detailed the massive encroachment of forest land in and around Delhi, termed a recent reply filed by the Deputy Conservator of Forest (South) on the steps taken to identify and remove the encroachment as “perfunctory”. The forest department had on 4 January filed a status report on the extent of encroachment in the protected forests.