Gujarat High Court on Friday directed the Central Government to decide within four weeks the issue of granting approval to the allocation of forest land to Essar Steel Ltd (ESL) near Hazira in Surat district.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala, while disposing of a PIL challenging the allocation of forest land measuring 2.07 lakh sq meters, also asked the Gujarat Government to demolish the constructions made by the company at the site if the Centre decides not to grant approval.
The PIL, filed by former Congress MLA Farook Shaikh had claimed, "the company has illegally acquired the said land and also constructed housing accommodation and allied employee infrastructure facilities on the encroached land."
