Massive Illegal Sale of Deemed Forest Land Uncovered in Jaipur District
In a shocking environmental and legal breach, nearly 150 bigha of deemed forest land located in Padasoli village, Bassi tehsil of Jaipur district, has been allegedly sold through land registries. This action flagrantly violates Supreme Court directives and the Forest Conservation Act (FCA) of 1980, which strictly prohibit such transactions to protect forest ecosystems.
Land Categories and Legal Restrictions
The land in question is officially recorded under the "Beed" and "Banjar Beed" categories. According to the FCA, these classifications treat the area as forest land, restricting its use solely to plantation and conservation activities. The law explicitly bars any sale, transfer, or diversion for non-forest purposes, making the alleged registries illegal.
RTI Activist Exposes Procedural Lapses
RTI activist Rajendra Tiwari has raised serious allegations regarding these transactions. He stated, "Even if the land is privately held, it cannot be sold without Forest Conservation Act clearance. These registries for Khasras 306, 307/2, 45, 310, 311, 276, and 277 were carried out without forest department permission, directly breaching the FCA, 1980, and the Supreme Court's order dated July 3, 2018." Tiwari further highlighted lax enforcement, citing a similar case where the forest department affirmed in the National Green Tribunal that FCA clearance is mandatory, yet such safeguards were ignored in Padasoli.
Official Responses and Accountability Issues
Tehsildar Pranjal Kanwar commented, "The land title was khatedari, and the registry was processed accordingly. We are now examining the matter after the complaint came to our notice." In contrast, Jaipur DFO Ketan Kumar pointed to a lack of formal notification, stating, "The Kapoor Committee recommended classifying these deemed forest lands, but no such classification has been recorded in Jaipur district, leaving it at zero hectares. Until formally notified, it cannot be considered."
Expert Insights and Legal Implications
Experts refer to the Kapoor Committee, established under Supreme Court directions, which identifies deemed forests as areas with over 200 trees per hectare in compact blocks of five hectares or more. The Central Empowered Committee reviewed this and mandated that lands recorded under local names like 'Gair Mumkin Pahar', 'Banjar', and 'Beed' must be treated as forests, a recommendation approved by the Supreme Court in 2018.
Green lawyer Vaibhav Pancholy emphasized, "The onus is on the forest department to identify these lands for conservation, but this is not happening. Diversion or sale for non-forest purposes violates the Forest Conservation Act and Supreme Court orders, including the TN Godavarman case, and may amount to contempt of court."
Broader Environmental Concerns
A senior forest official, requesting anonymity, warned, "These lands should be safeguarded by the state government through a dedicated mechanism to prevent illegal diversion and uphold environmental norms. Recently, several such lands have been diverted for non-forest purposes, contravening apex court directives and threatening ecological balance." This incident underscores urgent needs for stricter enforcement and protection of forest lands to combat environmental degradation.
