Disposed

News Item Titled "Gujarat GST Commissioner Grabs 620 Acres from Entire Village Near Maharashtra,S Mahabaleshwar" Appearing in the Free Press Journal Dated 18.05.2024 vs

NGT4 Jul 2024Original Application No. 725/2024

Case brief

AI extract

What is this about?

The NGT Principal Bench registered this original application suo-motu based on a news item alleging the acquisition of a village in Maharashtra by a Gujarat GST Commissioner, citing environmental violations. The court identified relevant statutory violations and impleaded central and state pollution boards, forest officials, and the district collector as respondents, transferring the matter to the

What did the court decide?

Records transferred to Western Zonal Bench, Pune; matter listed for further action.

News Item Titled "Gujarat GST Commissioner Grabs 620… — Environment and Pollution | NGT (2024)

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Item No. 06 Court No. 1

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BEFORE THE NATIONAL GREEN TRIBUNAL PRINCIPAL BENCH, NEW DELHI

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Original Application No. 725/2024

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News Item titled "Gujarat GST Commissioner Grabs 620 Acres from Entire Village near Maharashtra’s Mahabaleshwar" appearing in The Free Press Journal dated 18.05.2024

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Date of hearing: 04.07.2024

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CORAM: HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PRAKASH SHRIVASTAVA, CHAIRPERSON HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE ARUN KUMAR TYAGI, JUDICIAL MEMBER HON’BLE DR. A. SENTHIL VEL, EXPERT MEMBER

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ORDER

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This Original Application is registered suo-motu on the basis of the news item titled "Gujarat GST Commissioner Grabs 620 Acres from Entire Village near Maharashtra’s Mahabaleshwar" appearing in The Free Press Journal dated 18.05.2024.

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The matter relates to the acquisition of land spanning an entire village approximated to be over 600 acres in Kandati Valley, Satara district in Maharashtra by a GST Commissioner in Gujarat. The news item states that the officer and his family have purchased the entire village of Jhadani village near Mahabaleshwar. It alleges that the villagers of the area have been informed that their land is being acquired by the Government.

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The n ews item highlights the various threats that this action has brought upon to the natural resources and the environment. These violations are having serious consequences, including the loss of biodiversity, air and water pollution, and climate change. It states that

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there is already c onsiderable damage to the environment in the interior areas due to unauthorized construction, digging, and cutting of trees, illegal roads, and power supply from the forest border. Furthermore, from the past three years, illegal construction, large-scale mining, and excavation have been going on in the neighborhood. However, no action has been taken against the same.

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The above news item indicates violation of the provisions of the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.

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The news item raises substantial issue relating to compliance of the environmental norms and implementation of the provisions of scheduled enactment.

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Power of the Tribunal to take up the matter suo-motu has been recognized by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in the matter of “Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai vs. Ankita Sinha & Ors.” reported in 2021 SCC Online SC 897 .

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Hence, we implead the following as respondents in this matter:

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i. Maharashtra Pollution Control Board, Through its Member Secretary

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Kalpataru Point, 3rd and 4th floor, Opp. PVR Theatre, Sion (E), Mumbai-400 022

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ii. Central Pollution Control Board, Through its Member Secretary Parivesh Bhawan, East Arjun Nagar, Delhi-110032 Phone No: 011-43102030

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iii. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of India, Regional Office (Maharashtra), Through its Secretary

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Ground Floor, East Wing, New Secretariat Building, Civil Lines, Nagpur- 440001

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iv. Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Maharashtra

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M.S. 3^rd Floor Van Bhavan Ramgiri Road Civil Lines Nagpur 44001

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v. Collector & District Magistrate, Satara

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District Collector Office, Powai Naka

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Satara – 415001

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Let notice be issued to the above Respondents for filing their response before the Western Zonal Bench of the Tribunal.

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Since the matter relates to the Western Zonal Bench, Pune, therefore, OA is transferred to the Western Zonal Bench for appropriate further action. Let the original record of this OA be transferred to the Western Zonal Bench, Pune.

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List before Western Zonal Bench at Pune on 06.09.2024.

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Prakash Shrivastava, CP

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Arun Kumar Tyagi, JM

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Dr. A. Senthil Vel, EM

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July 04, 2024 O.A. No. No. 725/2024 HB

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News Item Titled "Gujarat GST Commissioner Grabs 620 Acres from Entire Village Near Maharashtra,S Mahabaleshwar" Appearing in the Free Press Journal Dated 18.05.2024 vs

Case brief

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News Item Titled "Gujarat GST Commissioner Grabs 620 Acres from Entire Village Near Maharashtra,S Mahabaleshwar" Appearing in the Free Press Journal Dated 18.05.2024 vs

Case brief

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What did the court decide?

What the court decided

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