RIKHI DEV Vs. DISTRICT FOREST OFFICER

JUDGEMENT

(1.) IT is reported by the Bench Secretary that the lawyers are on strike and thus they have abstained from attending the Court. The Court has perused the record of the writ petition and the submissions made therein and is passing orders on merits.

(2.) THE prayer of the petitioner is that he be permitted to cut 45 trees, 42 of Shisham and 3 of Shamer on his pilot no. 499/19. THE petitioner claims that he is the tenure-holder of this plot and as the trees are too old, he is entitled to cut them and for each tree that he will cut, he will plant another one.

(3.) IN the writ petition it is pointed out that the petitioner has a right to cut his trees under the INdian Forest Act, 1927. This may be so. But the Constitution of INdia particularly Article 48-A and further Article 51-A sub-clause (g) casts an obligation on the State and every citizen not to disbalance the ecology and environment and respect the green cover and the forest wealth of nation If every one starts doing what the petitioner intends to do, then the green cove: and the forest wi!i be subject to an accelerated rate of vanishing and will leave a disbalanced ecology and the balance of Nature may not even be restored in a century.