NEW DELHI: Acknowledging that encroachment upon forest land is one of the gravest challenges confronting environmental governance in the country, Supreme Court on Monday said that protection of environment and action agai-nst encroachers must happen through lawful means and a govt cannot resort to arbitrary action. It put on hold an anti-encroachment drive in reserved forests in Assam.A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe said the Constitution did not envisage a choice between environmental protection and rule of law; rather, it insisted that they co-exist and reinforce each other. The bench held that the alleged encroachers should be given a chance to submit relevant documents to substantiate their claim over the land, and action should be taken only if the allegations were proved.The bench agreed with Assam govt’s suggestion to set up a committee to examine the documents. “If an unauthorised occupation is found in a reserved forest area, after scrutiny of documents, a speaking order shall be passed and shall be served… giving him 15 days’ notice to vacate unauthorised occupation. Only after expiry of the period of notice shall action be taken to remove unauthorised occupants,” SC said.End of ArticleFollow Us On Social MediaVideosTharoor Praises Parliamentary Panel Meet On India-EU, India-US Trade DealsCongress Moves No-Trust Motion Against Om Birla; Lamborghini CCTV Contradicts Tobacco Tycoon’s Claim‘Not To Get Involved In Political Game’: EU Launches Mission For Bangladesh 2026 PollsNo-Confidence Against Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla Explained: Process, Rules And Numbers In ParliamentDays Before Bangladesh Elections, Another Hindu Businessman Killed, Fears Rise Over Minority SafetyOpposition targets LS Speaker with no-confidence motion — rules, process & numbers – ExplainedPakistan Admits US-Backed Jihad In Afghan Wars A Mistake, But Still Accuses India Of Proxy War”That Day Will Never Come…” Yogi Adityanath Fires Warning At Those Dreaming Of Babri StructureOpposition Cites ‘Abuse Of Office’ In No-Confidence Move Against Lok Sabha Speaker Om BirlaKanpur Lamborghini Crash: CCTV Backs Police Claim As Lawyer Pushes Driver Defence In Court123PhotostoriesFactory making 1800+ liters of milk daily with detergent and urea fertilizer busted in Gujarat: 6 smart ways to check milk purity at homePromise Day special: Bollywood stories where words turn into lifelong vows8 easy buttermilk dishes to add in lunch menu5 succulents that bring you good luck and prosperityFive unforgettable true romance stories that re-wrote love on the big screen: ‘The Vow,’ ‘The Theory of Everything’ and more8 traditional Indian dishes among 50 Best Stews in the WorldTop 5 real estate hotspots in Chennai, Tamil Nadu in 2026 for investment in propertyNelson Mandela once said, “I never lose, I either win or learn”: 4 lessons it teaches studentsJimin to Suga: BTS’ airport style wins again as the group heads back to Korea8 Most iconic Goddess Durga temples in India and the story behind them123Hot PicksUAE Public School RegistrationGold Silver PricesParliament Budget SessionGCC Unified Visa 2026Income Tax CalculatorPublic holidays February 2026Bank Holidays februaryTop TrendingSam DarnoldAndy ReidSuper BowlMen Hockey Olympics 2026Brock NelsonSidney CrosbyTerence CrawfordNBA Trade RumorsBen OgdenKevin Durant
NEW DELHI: Acknowledging that encroachment upon forest land is one of the gravest challenges confronting environmental governance in the country, Supreme Court on Monday said that protection of environment and action agai-nst encroachers must happen through lawful means and a govt cannot resort to arbitrary action. It put on hold an anti-encroachment drive in reserved forests in Assam.A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe said the Constitution did not envisage a choice between environmental protection and rule of law; rather, it insisted that they co-exist and reinforce each other. The bench held that the alleged encroachers should be given a chance to submit relevant documents to substantiate their claim over the land, and action should be taken only if the allegations were proved.The bench agreed with Assam govt’s suggestion to set up a committee to examine the documents. “If an unauthorised occupation is found in a reserved forest area, after scrutiny of documents, a speaking order shall be passed and shall be served… giving him 15 days’ notice to vacate unauthorised occupation. Only after expiry of the period of notice shall action be taken to remove unauthorised occupants,” SC said.
