The Uttarakhand High Court has directed the state government to submit an action-taken report regarding the alleged illegal felling of trees in Tauli gram sabha, located in the Vikas Nagar area of Dehradun district, as well as the reported social boycott of villagers who raised objections against the tree cutting. The court has given the government two weeks to file a detailed reply, specifically outlining the measures taken following a complaint submitted by villagers on January 20 and subsequent inquiry report by the forest department.
Court Hearing and Petitioners' Allegations
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Gupta and Justice Subhash Upadhyay heard a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by six villagers, including Gopal Singh and Vinod Kumar Chauhan. The petitioners alleged that a large number of trees were felled in the village in January, prompting them to approach forest department officials and demand an investigation.
According to the petitioners, the divisional forest officer conducted an inquiry and confirmed that 54 trees had been felled, while 29 others suffered serious damage due to excessive lopping of branches. The affected tree species included peepal, mango, and other varieties. Despite the inquiry report, the PIL claimed that no concrete action was taken against those responsible for the felling.
Social Boycott Allegations
The petitioners further alleged that after they opposed the tree cutting, a resolution was passed in the gram sabha against them, imposing a fine and organizing their social boycott at the village level. This development raised serious concerns about the rights of villagers to voice environmental grievances.
Court's Directive
During the hearing, the bench expressed concern over both sets of allegations and asked the state government to explain the response of the administration and concerned departments. The court specifically questioned, "What action has been taken after the complaint and the inquiry report?" while directing the government to submit its reply within two weeks. The matter is scheduled for further hearing after this period.
Background
The case underscores the ongoing challenges in balancing development activities with environmental conservation in Uttarakhand. The alleged illegal felling and subsequent social boycott highlight the need for effective enforcement of forest protection laws and safeguarding of citizens' rights to report violations.
