ABDUL KHALEK Vs. STATE OF ASSAM

JUDGEMENT

(1.) Leave granted.

(2.) These appeals and the Writ Petitions raise before this Court a question of considerable, constitutional and environmental significance, namely the State's obligation to protect reserved forest in discharge of its constitutional mandate and the manner in which such obligation must be fulfilled, when long standing human habitation is asserted within the forest land.

(3.) The appellants and the writ petitioners before this Court are residents of several villages which are situate in Doyang reserved forest, South Nambar Reserved Forests, Jamuna Madunga Reserve Forest, Barpani Reserved Forest, Lutumai Reserved Forest and Gola Ghat Forest in the State of Assam. According to the appellants/writ petitioners, they and their predecessors have been residing in the villages for more than seventy years. The appellants/writ petitioners contend that their existence and residence have been acknowledged by issuing Aadhar Cards, ration cards and other identity documents by the state agencies.