Environment and Forest Ministry appeals SC for CEC abolition

New Delhi, July 20 (UNI) Union Ministry for Environment and Forest, in its affidavit, filed in the Supreme Court today, has prayed for the abolition of the Centraly Empowermed Committee(CEC) and leaving the task of looking after the forests entirely to the Government.

The Ministry, in its affidavit, has also reminded the apex court that the various orders passed by the Court, censuring the Central as well as State Governments for alleged disappearance of the forests in the country, are eroding the separation of powers and the mutual respect between the different organs of the government.

The Government has expressed the apprehension that uprooting large sections of the population, dependent on the forests, will encourage Naxalism in the major Indian states.

The affidavit also critisised the lawyers representing the petitioners in the forest matters, pending since 1995, and also condemning the role of the members of CEC, who do not have any expertise in forest matters, for their role in prolonging the litigation, started under the guise of a PIL.

The affidavit further says that the Government was equally concerned with the task of preserving the forest cover in the country and has been discharging its duties and obligations with the help of experts in the field of ecology, environment, and forestry.

The Central Government has also claimed that the area of forest cover in the country has infact gone up considerably and uprooting millions of people on the advise of those who have no expertise in the field may prove counterproductive, since millions of the poor may fall prey to the idoelogy of the Naxalites.

The Government requested the Supreme Court to review its earlier orders, relating to the construction of CEC and its juridiction with respect to the executive function of the Government that should be carried out by the Forest Department, including the matter of construction of the Forest Advisory Committee and remanded the whole matter to the Union and State Governments for a harmonious separation of powers among the three bodies of the State.

UNI