The Delhi High Court on Thursday constituted an inter-departmental committee headed by a retired High Court judge to examine the issues related to forests in the national capital. .Justice Jasmeet Singh said that for the effective discharge of its responsibilities, the committee may call for any documents from any persons or government or any official undertaking site inspections of the forests.The Court further said that the committee can also seek assistance or presence of any person or official required in relation to its work and can co-opt one or more persons as its member or special invitee for dealing with the specific issue.The Delhi government was ordered to provide suitable office accommodation to the committee and to bear all the expenses of its working including suitable remuneration of the members..The Court passed the detailed order while dealing with a plea filed by one Neeraj Sharma.In his plea, Sharma sought directions to the Delhi Government to demarcate all the deemed forest areas listed in an affidavit filed in 1997 before the Supreme Court in TN Godavarman Thirumulpud v Union of India & Ors.On November 19, the Court issued notices and directed the government to file a status report giving details regarding deemed forests existing today, the action taken for depletion of forests and the constitution of a committee to oversee the preservations of these forests..Advocates Gautam Narayan and Aditya N Prasad appeared as amicus curiae in the matter.
The Delhi High Court on Thursday constituted an inter-departmental committee headed by a retired High Court judge to examine the issues related to forests in the national capital. .Justice Jasmeet Singh said that for the effective discharge of its responsibilities, the committee may call for any documents from any persons or government or any official undertaking site inspections of the forests.The Court further said that the committee can also seek assistance or presence of any person or official required in relation to its work and can co-opt one or more persons as its member or special invitee for dealing with the specific issue.The Delhi government was ordered to provide suitable office accommodation to the committee and to bear all the expenses of its working including suitable remuneration of the members..The Court passed the detailed order while dealing with a plea filed by one Neeraj Sharma.In his plea, Sharma sought directions to the Delhi Government to demarcate all the deemed forest areas listed in an affidavit filed in 1997 before the Supreme Court in TN Godavarman Thirumulpud v Union of India & Ors.On November 19, the Court issued notices and directed the government to file a status report giving details regarding deemed forests existing today, the action taken for depletion of forests and the constitution of a committee to oversee the preservations of these forests..Advocates Gautam Narayan and Aditya N Prasad appeared as amicus curiae in the matter.