Meghalaya High Court takes suo motu action against massive tree felling in Lawsohtun

The Meghalaya High Court has expressed "deep concern and shock" over reports of large-scale illegal tree felling in the Lawsohtun area of East Khasi Hills District, with the environmental damage so severe that it has altered the entire landscape of the region.

During a public interest litigation hearing on Monday, Chief Justice IP Mukerji and Justice W Diengdoh took suo motu cognisance of the Lawsohtun situation after senior advocate K. Paul informed the court about "indiscriminate and large-scale felling of trees" in the area.

The court immediately directed the petitioner to file an affidavit documenting the environmental destruction, signaling its intent to expand the ongoing case beyond its original scope of addressing tree felling in Lower New Colony, Laitumkhrah.

The PIL, filed by Geraldine G. Shabong, has already seen its jurisdiction expanded twice - first to cover the entire East Khasi Hills District in April, and then to all districts in the state by the court's April 9 order.

The judges criticised the state-appointed committee for its passive approach to forest protection. The three-member committee, headed by the Chief Conservator of Forests and including a NEHU environment professor, has been delegating responsibilities to Divisional Forest Officers without adequate oversight.

"This will not do," the court stated, pointing out that the committee has been merely accepting officers' classifications of trees as "dead" or requiring "lopping off branches" without independent verification.

The court found that while the committee has reserved the right to cross-check reports, it has taken "little action itself" and has not been conducting field inspections to verify the ground reality.

The high court issued strict directives requiring the committee to conduct random field visits and personal inspections of trees marked for felling. "The Committee has to make visits and inspection of such trees so certified by the Divisional Forest Officer on random basis and verify the truth of the assertion of the officer," the order states.

Until proper verification is completed, the court has imposed a blanket ban on tree felling and even branch lopping, with exceptions only for trees posing "imminent danger to life or property or both."

The committee has been specifically directed to investigate the Lawsohtun allegations and submit a comprehensive report by July 18, with the next hearing scheduled for July 22.