Centre asks SC not to extend term of CEC

New Delhi, Sep 6 (UNI) The Union Ministry of Forest and Environment today pleaded before the Supreme Court not to extend the term of the Centrally Empowered Committee (CEC) as the government has sufficient expertise and infrastructure to look after forests in the country.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, Justices Arijit Pasayat and S H Kapadia may pass the appropriate order tomorrow. Earlier, the Amicus Curae sought five years extention for the CEC, the term of which expires on September 17 this year.

The Supreme Court also directed the Union Government to file a comprehensive affidavit within four weeks stating therein whether bauxite mining in districts of Kalahandi and Korapur in Orissa can be permitted and whether the area can be protected against damage to the environment.

The Centre earlier filed an affidavit praying for dissolution of the CEC and also to review all the orders passed by this court. The Centre had also urged the court to stop monitoring of forest areas and leave it to the discretion of the government which has sufficient expertise to protect the forest areas from being denuded by the timber mafia.

The Union Government also pleaded before the apex court that forest area has been increased under the supervision of the central and state governments and the court was passing orders on the basis of the contention of the lawyer who hardly has any knowledge about forest and the environment.

UNI