Court`s log
February 18, 1995: T N Godavarman Thirumulkpad of Nilambur in Tamil Nadu files a petition in the Supreme Court to stop felling in the Nilgiris district. Court stays felling and transportation of trees.
December 12, 1996: Widens the scope of the ban to cover all activities within forests throughout the country, including all wood-based industries that operate without prior approval of the Union government. Bans felling trees in the tropical wet evergreen forests of Tirap and Changlang districts of Arunachal Pradesh. Suspends felling of trees without working plans approved by the Union government. Bans movement of timber from the Northeast states to rest of the country. Private plantations are left out of the purview. Asks state to form expert committee.
March 4, 1997: The Supreme Court constitutes a three-member high power committee (HPC) for the Northeast. It clarifies that order is not applicable for minor forest produce like bamboo, but to all Autonomous Hill Councils in Northeast states and Union Territories.
January 15, 1998: Degrading and rotting timber in forests to be disposed only after certification from the principal chief conservator of forests. State governments asked to confiscate illegal timber; proceeds to go to state revenue. Court orders transportation of timber only through railways. Complete moratorium on issue of licenses to all wood-based industries for five years. Industries to shift to industrial estates or face closure. State governments to prepare working plans, approved by the Union government, within two years. Timber extraction to be carried out only by a state agency. Permit system in Arunachal Pradesh abolished. State government to provide either in cash or kind in the form of timber only for use of the local people.
May 12, 2001: Transported timber to have the indent of a district forest officer or any other authorised officer. Timber to be transported outside the Northeast only if cleared by the high power committee (HPC). Round and sawn timber not to be transported outside the Northeast, except those approved by the HPC. Working plans to be implemented only with sufficient financial provision for regeneration. Felling of trees in non-forest prohibited till the formation of rules approved by the ministry. Asks Madhya Pradesh and Chattisgarh to form an empowered committee to look into pending cases.
november 24, 2001: Asks Union ministry of environment and forests (MEF) to form guidelines for compensatory afforestation by February 18, 2002.
february 18, 2002: Slams MEF for failing to present guidelines. Is appaled to hear the findings of its investigative team on illegal mining in Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh (see box: Operation Hoodwink).
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