The Gauhati High Court has sought reply from the state government regarding removal of encroachers from the forest land.
The Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia and Justice Manash Ranjan Pathak on August 3 heard the PIL filed by Shiladitya Dev, bringing to notice of the High Court the large scale encroachment of forest land of Lumding Reserve Forest in the district of Hojai, Assam.
D Gogoi, Standing Counsel, Forest Department, informed the Court that around 1410 hectares of forest land is under illegal encroachment and even the encroachers have been identified. The Government has admitted the factual position.
“This being the factual position, we must have an answer from the Government as to what the Government proposes to do regarding removal of encroachers from the forest land,” said the Court.
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While posting the matter for further hearing on September 9, the Bench directed the state government to file a detailed affidavit for the same in four weeks.