Supreme Court Declares Maharashtra's Zudpi Jungles As Protected Forests, Directs Scrutiny Of Post-1996 Allotments

The Supreme Court today (May 22) held that Zudpi jungle lands in Maharashtra are forest lands, bringing them under the purview of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 (“FC Act”) and stalling their conversion without prior approval from the Central Government. The judgment delivered by a bench of Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice A.G. Masih held that all Zudpi Jungle land allotments...