In a significant move for environmental protection, the Supreme Court has stayed the felling of trees in Chhattisgarh until further orders.
A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta passed this interim order on Friday while hearing a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed in public interest by advocate Abdul Nafees Khan.
Supreme Court Advocate Aslam Ahmed Jamal (AOR) led the legal team in this case. It included renowned lawyer and legal activist Raees Ahmed, Syed Mohammad Sohail Afzal, and others.
The petition challenges a November 2025 judgment of the Chhattisgarh High Court, which pertained to a Public Interest Litigation (WPPIL No. 100/2025).
The original case centred on the controversial issue of the removal of over 400 trees from government-classified ‘forest land’ (often referred to as ‘large shrub forest’ in revenue records), including fruit-bearing and religiously significant tree species.
The petitioner alleged that permission for tree felling was granted arbitrarily without proper site inspection, tree enumeration, or ecological surveys, violating both the Forest Conservation Act and constitutional obligations under Article 48A (protection of the environment).
Court’s Directions and Environmental Concerns
During the proceedings on January 16, 2026, the Supreme Court, considering the potential for irreversible environmental damage, issued the following directions.
The Court explicitly restrained the authorities and the concerned respondents from felling any further trees in the area until the next date of hearing.
The bench issued a formal notice to the State of Chhattisgarh and other respondents, requiring a response within four weeks. Local environmentalists view the stay order as a major victory after protesting against large-scale tree felling in the region.
Recent reports have raised concerns about industrial projects and construction activities encroaching on revenue forest land in Chhattisgarh without adequate environmental clearances.
By halting the tree felling, the Supreme Court has signalled its commitment to strictly enforce environmental safeguards and protect the state’s green cover.
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