Chhattisgarh government and Rajasthan Vidyut Utpadan Nigam have assured the Supreme Court that there will be no tree felling in picturesque Hasdeo forest in northern Chhattisgarh for coal till next hearing.
The densely forested area has turned into a virtual battle ground after Adani group been given Mine, Operate and Develop the coal mines allocated to RVUNL. Local tribes have been battling to preserve their habitat for several millennia from destruction caused by mining and deforestation.
A division bench of Justice DY Chandrachud and Justice Hima Kohli agreed to postpone the matter for next hearing on a petition filed by Ambikapur based DK Soni and lawyer activist Sudip Shrivastava who is respondent in in another PIL challenging the grant of permission for deforestation and mining to RVUNL.
Court asked the centre to submit all the reports sbumitted by the ICFRE in next hearing. ICFRE report has two parts and it’s second part is consist of Wildlife Institute of India (WII). Since, the centre could not submit the WII report today Solicitor General Tushar Mehta sought time in the matter and said that it should be heard after the Delhi festival and If possible, the hearing should be done after 13th November.
Appearing for the respondent Sudip Shrivastava senior Advocate Prashant Bhushan and Advocate Neha Rathi said they have no objection in postponing the hearing but Rajasthan Vidyut Utpadan Nigam should commit that there would be no tree felling till next hearing.