Order of the High Court of Manipur on forest management in the state, 03/06/2020
Order of the High Court of Manipur in the matter of The Manipur Valley Village Reserve Forest Rights Protection Association Vs State of Manipur & Others dated 03/06/2020.
The petitioner had filed a PIL on the issue of forests and reserved forests of Manipur, which were being denuded and illegally encroached for various activities. The order noted that the "destruction of forests and invasion/intrusion of human beings in the forest domain displacing forest species appears to be a major factor for the series of diseases like the present COVID-19."
The judges said that it has been clearly established that deforestation coupled with wild animal-human contact was a major cause of diseases and directed the state of Manipur to safeguard the forests, environment and ecology on seven parameters which include: measures to arrest wild fires, prevent illegal encroachment of forest areas for human habitations, to protect wild animals, birds, flora and fauna as provided under the Acts and Rules.
The order was passed by the two member bench of Justices Ramalingam Sudhakar and A. Bimol Singh.