Plea over land transfer to FDCM with NGT

Nagpur: The Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court has transferred to National Green Tribunal, Pune, the PIL opposing handing over of 200 sqkm tiger bearing forest land in the Pench-Navegaon-Nagzira tiger reserve corridor to Forest Development Corporation of Maharashtra (FDCM).
In May last, the high court had rejected the application of FDCM pleading to vacate stay on transferring the forest area. There is recorded presence of tigers in these ranges. A writ petition filed by Bhandara Zilla Jangal Kamgar Sahakari Sanstha Sangh, on which a status quo was granted, was clubbed with a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Shahid Khan of Save Ecosystem and Tigers and Sustaining Environment (SEAT).

The high court had also slammed the Maharashtra government for going against the recommendations of senior forest officials. In their order on January 24, Justice BP Dharmadhikari and Justice Swapna Joshi had directed transfer of PIL to NGT. “After technical formalities, the case was transferred to NGT last week,” said sources.

Referring to a survey conducted by chief conservator of forests (Nagpur) and Bhandara deputy conservator of forests (DyCF), the court had stated, "it was an important corridor for migration of tigers.”

The government, on June 19, 2014, had asked forest department to hand over 200 sqkm forest in Lendezari, Jamkandri and Nakadongri ranges of Bhandara to FDCM to compensate for the loss of its forest area for new sanctuaries that have been carved out as per Supreme Court orders.

Following stiff opposition to the move from gram panchayats and wildlife conservationists, the area has not been handed over to FDCM in last three years.