Gramin Ekta Manch through Its President Namely Ranjit Singh Alias Bablu Singh Vs the State of Jharkhand — Jharkhand HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

Gramin Ekta Manch through Its President Namely Ranjit Singh Alias Bablu Singh Vs the State of Jharkhand — Jharkhand HC (2025) — LawSathi Research

What the court decided

AI extract

Outcome

Petition disposed of with directions to the respondents to attend to and nurture the plantations so that a meaningful forest comes up; petitioner given liberty to revive the petition upon failure of maintenance or upon any related grievance (otherwise to file a separate petition); pending interlocutory applications disposed of.

Issue for consideration

Whether the compensatory plantation claimed in the State's counter affidavit — 18,000 saplings along the Barakar river and 3,200 saplings at Aralgaria, Putki-Balihari — was in fact carried out. +1 more

Court's answer

On the Secretary, DLSA, Dhanbad certifying that about 18,000 saplings stand planted along the banks of Barakar River within the Tundi Range of Dhanbad Forest Division and about 3,000 trees at Aralgaria, Putki-Balihari Region, the Court accepted the plantation claims in the counter affidavit as verified.

Ratio / Principle

The W.P.(PIL) was disposed of with a direction to the respondents to ensure that the plantations already carried out are duly attended to and nurtured so that a meaningful forest comes up in the area.

Key takeaways

Liberty preserved to the petitioner to revive this petition if the respondents do not maintain the plantation, to revive it if aggrieved by any other action of the respondents relating to this petition, or to file a separate petition where the dispute does not touch upon this petition.ratio¶¶46
Pending Interlocutory Application(s), if any, stand disposed of.ratio¶¶47

Detailed headnote1 paragraphs

Public interest litigation by Gramin Ekta Manch concerning felling of 2,034 trees for expansion of the Gopalichak Colliery (BCCL), Dhanbad: the district High Powered Committee (meeting dated 18.10.2022) permitted cutting of 1,705 trees, directed transplantation of 329 trees (circumference under 7 inches) and plantation of 17,050 plants (10 times the trees cut), communicated vide letter no. 2561 dated 05.11.2022. On the Court's earlier order of 12.08.2025, the Secretary, DLSA, Dhanbad inspected both sites and certified approximately 18,000 saplings planted along the Barakar river (Tundi Range, Dhanbad Forest Division; 13 km gross/6 km net stretch across 52 patches, with about 4,900 support poles) and approximately 3,000 trees standing at Aralgaria, Putki-Balihari (apparently planted 5-6 years back). Satisfied that the claimed compensatory plantation exists, the Court disposed of the W.P.(PIL), directing the respondents to ensure the plantations are duly attended to and nurtured so that a meaningful forest comes up; the petitioner may revive the petition if maintenance lapses or if aggrieved by any related action of the respondents, and pending interlocutory applications stand disposed of.

Procedural history

How this case reached the court

AI extract

Prior proceeding
By order dated 12.08.2025 the Court reproduced paragraphs 10, 21, 22 and 23 of the counter affidavit dated 8th August, 2025 sworn by the deponent-Assistant Conservator of Forests, Dhanbad.¶¶20
Prior proceeding
Affidavit records the safeguard framework now in force: proposals for large-scale felling anywhere in Jharkhand go before the district High Powered Committee, which permits cutting only where indispensable, keeps numbers minimal, prefers transplanting, and imposes a 10-times replantation duty with initial-years care.¶¶28
Prior proceeding
For expansion of Gopalichak Colliery, the district High Powered Committee of Dhanbad considered a proposal for felling 2034 trees and made recommendations in its meeting dated 18.10.2022.¶¶29
Prior proceeding
HPC recommendation: of the 2034 trees, the 329 with circumference less than 7 inches were to be transplanted using hitech machines; the remaining 1705 were permitted to be cut.¶¶30
Prior proceeding
User agency was required to plant 10 times the number of trees cut, i.e. 17,050 plants, with iron/bamboo gabions/barbed wire fencing around the project area on priority basis.¶¶31
Prior proceeding
The HPC direction was communicated to the Project Director, Gopalichak Colliery vide letter no. 2561 dated 05.11.2022 issued by the Divisional Forest Officer, Dhanbad.¶¶32
Prior proceeding
Affidavit claimed compliance: 18,000 saplings planted on the banks of Barkar river (more than 10 times the trees to be cut), in the year 2024-25.¶¶33
Prior proceeding
Affidavit further claimed the forest department planted 3200 saplings in the Putki-Balihari region in the year 2019-20 at Aralgaria.¶¶36
Prior proceeding
To verify the affidavit, the Court appointed the Secretary, District Legal Services Authority, Dhanbad to inspect the Barakar river site (claimed 18,000 saplings, 2024-25) and the Putki-Balihari/Aralgaria site (claimed 3,200 saplings, 2019-20).¶¶37
Prior proceeding
The Secretary, DLSA, Dhanbad was directed to report to the Court within four weeks; matter listed for 16th September, 2025.¶¶38
Prior proceeding
In compliance with the order dated 12.08.2025, the Secretary, DLSA, Dhanbad submitted his inspection report.¶¶39
Prior proceeding
DLSA report on Barakar river site: plantation lies within the Tundi Range of Dhanbad Forest Division; gross stretch 13 km, net effective forestation 6 km (Takipur Mouza to Kokrad Mouza), divided into 52 patches/blocks, with approximately 18,000 plants and approximately 4,900 support/protective poles.¶¶41
Prior proceeding
DLSA report on Aralgaria, Putki-Balihari region: land belongs to Bharat Coking Coal Limited; dense plantation of bamboo gabions and species including Chatni, Sheesham, Sangwan, Peltophorum, Kachnar, Kadam etc.; approximately 3,000 trees appearing to have been planted about 5-6 years back.¶¶45