Supreme Court Orders SITs to Investigate Allotment of Reserved Forest Land to Private Parties

All States and UTs Directed to Reclaim Misused Forest Land or Recover Cost for Conservation​

New Delhi, May 15 — In a landmark judgment aimed at preserving India’s forest cover, the Supreme Court on Thursday directed all states and union territories to form special investigation teams (SITs) to probe whether any reserved forest land has been improperly allotted to private individuals or institutions for non-forestry purposes.

A bench led by Chief Justice B R Gavai and comprising Justices Augustine George Masih and K Vinod Chandran issued comprehensive directives requiring immediate action from state chief secretaries and UT administrators.

Land to Be Reclaimed or Cost Recovered for Forest Development​

The apex court instructed that wherever forest land has been misallocated, states and UTs must reclaim possession and return it to the forest department. In cases where repossession is not in the public interest, authorities must recover the land's cost from the allottees and utilize those funds for afforestation and forest development.

“Such land should be used only for the purpose of afforestation,” the bench emphasized in its order.

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One-Year Deadline for Compliance​

To ensure swift and transparent action, the court ordered that SITs be established immediately and that all land transfers be reviewed and corrected within one year from the order date.

Origin of the Case: Forest Land Misuse in Pune​

The Supreme Court’s directives were issued in a case concerning the improper use of reserved forest land in Pune. The court condemned the misuse as a clear example of the collusion between political leaders, bureaucrats, and builders.

“The present matter is a classic example as to how the nexus between the politicians, bureaucrats and the builders can result in the conversion of precious forest land for commercial purposes under the garb of resettlement,” the bench remarked.

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This decision is expected to have far-reaching implications on India's land governance and forest conservation efforts.