The Central Zone bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has raised serious concerns over the Rajasthan government's failure to clarify compliance with Supreme Court directives regarding the identification and notification of deemed forest land. The tribunal observed that such land continues to be bought and sold despite legal protections.
Case Background
The case involves land parcels in Village Padasoli, Tehsil Bassi, where applicant Hemraj Meena alleged that plots recorded as Beed and Banjad — categories often treated as deemed forest — were sold by private parties for commercial use. Revenue records, including jamabandi entries, show the land in the names of private respondents, with mutation orders passed on June 28, 2025.
An official familiar with the matter stated, "Counsel for the state is directed to submit the notification in compliance with the previous order within one month before the registrar, Central Zone bench, through online or other modes, failing which the registrar shall place the matter before the tribunal."
Tribunal's Observations
The bench, comprising judicial member Justice Sheo Kumar Singh and expert member Sudhir Kumar Chaturvedi, noted that sale, purchase, mutation and title disputes fall under civil and revenue courts under the Registration Act, Transfer of Property Act and state land laws. However, the tribunal emphasized that the environmental issue — whether the land should have been identified and protected as deemed forest — remains unresolved.
Meena argued that the tribunal referred to the TN Godavarman Thirumulpad vs Union of India judgement, which requires states to identify, survey and demarcate deemed forests within a fixed timeframe. He further contended that despite these directions and committee recommendations approved in 2018, Rajasthan has not issued a clear notification identifying such areas.
Lack of Clarity Raises Concerns
The tribunal order stated, "This is a lack of clarity that raises the possibility that ecologically sensitive land may be diverted without due legal safeguards." The bench directed the state to place on record the status of the notification within one month, warning that failure to clarify compliance could invite further judicial scrutiny.
The NGT's intervention underscores the ongoing challenge of protecting deemed forests in Rajasthan, where revenue classifications often obscure ecological significance, leading to unauthorized commercial exploitation.
