The High Court heard the PIL filed against the cutting of 174 Sal trees in Vikasnagar Kalsi area of ​​Dehradun. A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Manoj Kumar Tiwari and Justice Vivek Bharti Sharma has asked opposition number 10 Archana Bhargava to file her reply within three weeks.

Archana appeared personally in the court during the hearing on Monday. She told the court that she has not come to India for the last five years and the records of the case filed by the forest officials should be summoned in the court. I don't have any information about this matter.

''I have no idea with whose permission the trees were cut from the land.''

On which the court has summoned the records of the lower court to get information about the cases registered.

In 2021, the High Court, while hearing the PIL of Vikas Nagar resident Rakesh Tomar, had directed the Chief Forest Conservator to personally inspect the matter and present the report in the court.

The court had remarked that illegal cutting of trees on such a large scale is not possible without the connivance of the Forest and Revenue Department. The court had given instructions to take action against the responsible forest officials of the area.

The Court held that the forest and revenue officers under their jurisdiction, when the trees were felled, had provided their tacit consent and active protection to the guilty persons carrying out the illegal felling of trees but the Chief Conservator of Forests appearing on behalf of It is not mentioned in the affidavit what action has been taken against them, the responsibility of those officers has been fixed and action has been taken against the responsible officers.

Photographs of the area taken by the petitioner after cutting of trees have also been kept on record in the High Court. When trees have been cut, wooden logs can also be seen lying in the area.

The High Court had asked the Chief Forest Conservator to personally look into the matter and inspect the area and file an affidavit. Also asked to tell who are the officers responsible for giving permission for illegal felling?

Also, instructions were given to ensure that no further cutting of trees is done in the area.

The next hearing of the case will be on January 1st.