Solicitor General withdrawn from forest matter case

New Delhi, Jul 27 (UNI) The government has withdrawn additional Solicitor General Vikas Singh from the forest matter case who was representing it in the Supreme court in the matter.

Last week, the Central government had filed an application in the apex court asking it to review all its orders passed in forest matters and also to wind up centrally-empowered committee (CEC) appointed by it. It was also asked in the application to leave the issue of taking care of forests in the country to the government.

A Bench, comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, Justices Arijit Pasayat and S H Kapadia, has been monitoring the forest matter through a PIL filed by T N Godavaraman and Thirumulpad seeking directions to check increase in felling of trees by timber mafias, resulting in the depletion of forest cover in the country, thus damaging the environment.

Mr Singh had been confronting the Supreme Court almost on every hearing of the case.

The apex court today adjourned the hearing of the interim applications pending before it.

The petitioner has been directed to file response to the Centre's application.

UNI