Order of the National Green Tribunal (Eastern Zone Bench, Kolkata) in the matter of Bhumi Adhigrahan Visthapan Avam Punarwas Kissam Samiti Vs State of Jharkhand & Others dated 15/02/2024.

Affidavit filed on behalf of the Collector cum-Deputy Commissioner, Garhwa stated that only draft publication of Eco-Sensitive Zone of Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary is available, which was published in 1979. The final publication of the same has not yet been made.

The court expressed surprise that an officer of the rank of Collector-cum Deputy Commissioner was " making a statement on affidavit which is absolutely false and negated by the documents on record". The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, December 13, 2015 notified the Eco-Sensitive Zone of the Kaimur Wildlife Sanctuary.

"The ignorance of the Collector-cum-Deputy Commissioner, Garhwa, is shocking' and directed the Collector to submit his explanation for deliberately filing a false affidavit before the court. In the meanwhile, SEIAA, Jharkhand and Divisional Forest Officer Garhwa have been granted two weeks time to file their counter affidavit.