The Rajasthan High Court has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports suggesting that 1.19 lakh trees in Baran, Rajasthan, may be cut down for a pumped storage project.

A bench comprising Justices Munnuri Laxman and Pushpendra Singh Bhati expressed serious concern over the potential environmental impact and sought responses from authorities on whether alternatives could be explored to save the trees.

The court has specifically asked if an alternative site for the project could be identified to avoid such extensive deforestation and whether afforestation efforts could be made to maintain ecological balance if the trees are indeed cut.

The court initiated the suo motu proceedings after two newspaper reports—by Rajasthan Patrika and Dainik Bhaskar—highlighted the potential ecological harm, including the impact on nearby Kuno National Park.

The reports indicated that the project would require the clearing of fully grown trees, which could disrupt the area's ecological balance, increase carbon emissions, and negatively affect local flora and fauna.

The court further noted that the forest area in question, spanning 450 hectares, currently absorbs 22.5 lakh metric tons of carbon. If deforested, this could contribute to climate change and lead to issues such as soil erosion. The court was also concerned that the land earmarked for compensatory afforestation, located 712 kilometers from the project site, would only absorb 3,500 metric tons of carbon—far less than the current capacity of the Baran forest.

Given these concerns, the court has sought a detailed response from both state and central government authorities. Senior Advocate Sandeep Shah and Advocates Lakshya Singh Udawat and Mehali Mehta have been appointed as amicus curiae to assist the court in this matter.