HC form committees to tackle environmental degradation

Hearing a PIL alleging degradation of environment on Mumbai-Dhulia stretch of National Highway by felling of trees, Bombay High Court today formed committees to survey those areas where deforestation has taken place and plantation undertaken by National Highway Authority of India. Fixing a time-bound frame, Justices A M Khanwilkar and K K Tated ordered committees to submit report by May 2. The PIL, filed by Nashik Nagrik Kruti Samiti through advocate S M Gorwadkar, alleged that there was a considerable damage to the environment by deforestation and steps should be taken to restore it. The judges ordered that the Maharashtra Government through its Forest department shall take up one time evaluation of areas already planted by National Highway Authority of India along side the National Highway No 3, which passes through different circles of Forest department viz Thane, Nashik and Dhulia. The bench further said that the state would constitute teams in respective forest circles of Thane, Nashik and Dhulia comprising concerned Deputy Conservator of forests as Chairman and one assistant Conservator of forests and two Range forest officers as members. For Nashik Circle, the stretch of National Highway passes through three divisions -- West Nashik, East Nasik and Malegaon for which committees would be constituted having Deputy Conservator of forest as Chairman, the Judges said. The members of this team would have one Assistant Conservator of forests, another conservator of forests from evaluation division and two Range forest officers. Likewise, Thane and Dhulia circles shall constitute similar committees for the divisions through which the National Highway passes. The respective committees shall collect information regarding the trees felled in Municipal and Non-Municipal areas segment-wise all along the Highway for the three circles, the bench further ordered. These committees shall collect information regarding saplings planted and pinpoint locations, species of trees and year of plantation, the judges noted.