STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: A division bench of the Gauhati High Court comprising Chief Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice Suman Shyam has directed B.D. Goswami, Additional Advocate General of Arunachal Pradesh, A. Kalita, Additional Advocate General of Mizoram, and Ms. T. Khro, Additional Advocate General of Nagaland, to appear on behalf of the respective state governments in the matter of alleged encroachment irrespective of boundary disputes and depletion of forest cover in Assam.
The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and the head of the Assam Forest Force filed an additional affidavit on May 18, 2023, annexing therewith a brief report on encroachment in reserved forests along the Assam State borders. The PIL (77/2018) in that connection came up for hearing.
"A perusal of the affidavit would reveal that significant areas of forests that are located on the common borders with the States of Mizoram, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh have been encroached upon," the bench said.
The copies of the additional affidavit and the aforesaid report shall be provided to all three learned Additional Advocate Generals, who shall file responses to the contents of the report on behalf of the respective State by the next date of listing, the Court said.
The bench ordered, "Efforts shall be made in coordination with the Secretaries concerned of Assam, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Arunachal Pradesh to resolve the issue of encroachment irrespective of the boundary disputes."
The names of the learned Additional Advocate General concerned shall henceforth be reflected in the cause-list, the order stated, and the re-notification of the case along with the 39/2023 on September 21, 2023.
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