SC Requests Uttarakhand to Report on Illegal Forest Land Constructions
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court criticized the Uttarakhand government for “persistent negligence” and requested a detailed report including a site plan that outlines illegal constructions on forest land in the state. A bench consisting of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi highlighted their serious concerns over the large-scale and systematic encroachment on forest land in Uttarakhand. They indicated plans to broaden the scope of legal proceedings to investigate the failure of state authorities to protect these lands. The court remarked that state officials seemed to collude with land grabbers, allowing encroachments and then attempting to legitimize them through…