High Court Calls For Reports From Neighbouring States Over Measures Taken To Remove Illegal Encroachments In Reserve Forests Near Assam's Borders

The division bench of Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice Suman Shyam passed the above-mentioned directions in a PIL which raised grievance regarding the encroachments made in the reserve forest land areas in the State of Assam.

While considering the fact that mostly the encroachments have been made on the land falling within the reserve forest areas of Assam bordering the States of Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, the Court, vide order dated July 26, 2023, directed the respective counsel representing the States of Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh to file their response.

However, the court observed that from the affidavits submitted by the States of Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, it cannot be gathered that the State Governments of the above referred three States have come out with any suggestions as to how to make the reserve forest land situated in the inter-State border areas encroachment free.

The Advocate General of the State of Assam submitted that the efforts earlier made by the State of Assam to remove the encroachments in the Inner Line Reserve Forest area, which is situated in the inter-State border area of the State of Assam and Mizoram, had been resisted by the people from Mizoram.

Thus, the Court directed the States of Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh to file their respective affidavits, within six weeks, highlighting the steps taken by them to remove the illegal encroachments in the reserve forest land situated in the inter-state border of these States with the State of Assam.

The Court directed to list the matter again after eight weeks.

Case No.: PIL/77/2018

Case Title: Asom Basaok v. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change & 37 Ors.