New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday underscored the need for sustainable development but advised against the use of bulldozers to clear forests in order to achieve it.
A bench of Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justices K Vinod Chandran and Joymalya Bagchi was hearing a suo motu case over large-scale felling of trees in the Kancha Gachibowli area of Telangana.
“I am myself an advocate for sustainable development, but that doesn’t mean that overnight you should employ 30 bulldozers and clear all the jungle,” Chief Justice Gavai said.
Senior advocate K Parameshwar, who is amicus curiae in the matter, informed the bench about several private parties wishing to respond to the state’s affidavit.
The bench took note of the statement and posted the hearing on August 13.
On May 15, the top court said felling of trees next to the University of Hyderabad prima facie appeared to be “pre-planned” and asked the Telangana government to restore it or its officials could land in jail.
The CJI said it was for the state to make a choice between restoring the forest or wanting to send their officials to prison.
The bench asked why trees were felled taking advantage of a long weekend when the courts were not available.
While taking suo motu cognisance of the deforestation activities in the Kancha Gachibowli Forest, the apex court on April 3 ordered a status quo until further orders, except the protection of trees already existing there by the state or any authority.
On April 16, the apex court rapped the Telangana government over its rushed action to fell trees there and directed it to submit a specific plan to restore the 100 acres of deforested land if it wanted its chief secretary “to be saved from any severe action”.