'How Can Area Declared As Forest Reserve Be Allotted For Mining?': AP High Court Orders Probe Into Allotment Of 92.40 Acres Of Village Land

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Ravi Cheemalapati observed,

“We fail to understand as to how an area which is otherwise declared as reserved forest could have been reflected as Jungle Poramboke and allotted by the mines department for mining operations.”

The Court was dealing with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) which highlighted the issue of allotment of the said land— which was originally earmarked as “Forest Reserve Poramboke” and subsequently reflected as “Jungle Poramboke”, for mining operations by the Revenue Department in favour of Respondent 11.

Taking serious note of the issue, the Division Bench ordered the constitution of a Committee under the Chairmanship of the Chief Secretary, comprising the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and the Principal Secretary of Revenue Department, to examine the issue and submit a report.

Explaining the role of the Committee, the Court stated,

“In case the Committee finds that the conversion was only with a view to facilitate the allotment of mining rights in favour of respondent No.11, the same be also specifically stated in the report. The Committee shall also state as to what action it contemplates to initiate against the concerned in case it is found that the reclassification was done for mala fide reasons.”

The Court was also apprised that no mining operations were being conducted in the area as the environmental clearance obtained by Respondent 11 had been stayed by orders of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

The matter is now listed on 19.11.2025 for further hearing.

Case Details:

Case Number: WP(PIL) NO: 22 of 2017

Case Title: B Madhan Kumar Reddy v. The Union of India and others

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