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.

[2]

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.