JODHPUR: The Rajasthan High Court has sought affidavits on illegal felling of trees in the areas of solar plants in Bikaner district and the damage caused to biodiversity in the region.
A division bench of acting chief justice Manindra Mohan Shrivastava and justice Kuldeep Mathura made it clear that in absence of the affidavits on the next date of hearing on May 1, secretaries of the forest, revenue and energy department will remain present in the court. The court has also directed that in the meantime, deputy conservator of forest IInd Stage IGNP, Bikaner, shall ensure that no illegal felling of trees takes place. “It shall be his personal responsibility to monitor the activities and, if any case of illegal felling of trees is brought to his notice, he shall forthwith report to this Court without any delay,” said the court order. The court on Thursday issued notices to 11 respondents while allowing a petition moved by Akhil Bhartiya Vishnoi Mahasabha and Jeev Raksha Sansthan, Bikaner, drawing attention of the court to violations of the conditions under which the solar plant companies had been given permission of establishment at Jaimalsar, Khajuwala, Dantaur, Kisnasar, 750 RD Pugal, Ratnisar and Kavni in Bikaner district.
The petition stated that there is not just non-compliance of conditions, on which the permission had been granted for establishment of the solar systems, but these companies have been engaged in illegal and indiscriminate felling of trees, the native vegetation in the region. “This has grievously affected the fragile biodiversity of the region and entire ecosystem, the plants and the wildlife of the region were under threat,”said the petition.
Source: PTI
