HC upholds Maha Govt action on private lands

Mumbai, Mar 24: In a decision that will affect status of over 100 acres of land in North Mumbai suburbs, Bombay High Court today upheld Maharashtra government's action of declaring a host of private lands as private forests.As a result, the government can now proceed with acquisition of these lands under Maharashtra Private Forests Acquistion of Land Act, 1975, advocate Nitin Deshpande, additional government pleader said.The decision will affect several big construction groups in the city.Government had issued notices to the owners of these lands, mostly builders situated in -- Kandivali, Mulund, Borivali, and other areas, terming them to be private forests, and therefore suitable for acquisition by forest department.A bunch of petitions filed by several builders had challenged these notices.Division bench of Chief Justice Swatanter Kumar and Justice S C Dharmadhikari today dismissied these petitions, holding government's action of issing notices and altering revenue records to show these lands as private forests to be valid.
Saharasamay.comPosted at Monday, 24 March 2008 17:03 IST