THE 38 sites in Nagpur city which were listed as Zudpi Jungle sites by Central Empowered Committee (CEC) and was diverted for public purpose before 1996 will not be included in forest land as per the order of the Supreme Court of India, stated the Forest Department. The recent order of the Supreme Court of India headed by the Chief Justice of India Justice Bhushan Gavai and Justice Augustine Masih has confirmed that all Zudpi jungle lands in Eastern Vidarbha region will be considered as forest land with limited utilisation of Zudpi jungle for compensatory afforestation. The CEC submitted an affidavit in which it listed 38 sites in Nagpur city for land diversion. The apex court has asked to do necessary changes in a simplified procedure through routing the application to Central Government under Forest Conservation Act, 1980.

 

The apex court in its order said, “We clarify that all activities for which lands have been allotted by the competent authority will be deemed to be site-specific. We further clarify that the State Government shall ensure that the land used is not changed in the future under any circumstances and transfer is made only by inheritance”. After the verdict, Deputy Conservator of Forest, Nagpur, Dr Bharat Singh Hada told The Hitavada, “As per the instructions of the SC, the Revenue Department is preparing a plan. It will provide us details about the lands which are going to be transferred to us.”

 

The bench listed various buildings and public utilities on Zudpi jungle spread over 1331.91 ha of land will be affected in the Nagpur city alone and said the same included High Court building, residences of HC judges, state secretariat, defence buildings, agricultural university and graveyards among others. Majority of land comes under the jurisdiction of Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT), Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), Ministry of Defence, Nagpur City Police, Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV) and MIHAN India Limited (MIL).

 

When asked about the fate of these 38 sites in city, Dr Hada said, “The 38 sites in the city are already allotted before December 12, 1996 and for such lands, the department will seek an approval under Section 2 of the Forest (Conservation) Act (FCA), 1980, for their deletion from the list of forest areas.” Commenting on the future utilisation of new lands handed over by the revenue department to the Forest Department, Dr Hada said, “We are working on Zudpi jungle lands which we are getting back from the Revenue Department. After getting the list, the department will utilise it for forest utility like gardens, nursery, staff quarters etc.”