A Division Bench of Kerala High Court on Friday (July 11) directed the Chief Secretary to look into the issue of alleged felling of trees on both sides of National Highway 85 on the Neriyamangalam-Valara stretch, without mandatory permissions.
The directive was issued on a petition filed by M.N. Jayachandran of Thodupuzha, saying that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) cut many trees on the reserve forest area, beyond the permission granted in a 2024 order, in violation of the State’s stand.
The Division Bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice Basant Balaji said that the conduct of the officers concerned might attract penal consequences and was against the State government’s stand before the court. “We will also have to consider whether this is a case of contempt, where the court was led to believe by the government that it is opposing non-forest activity. But its officers are issuing directions to do non-forest activities, without complying with the law referred to in the State’s affidavit,” it said.
“We direct the Chief Secretary to look into the issue and stop the illegal activity, if any. This action is in addition to penal proceedings that may be initiated against the officers concerned of the State government and the NHAI under the governing statute. The Chief Secretary’s instructions must be placed on record on July 14,” the court said.
The NHAI’s counsel said he would file an affidavit before the court placing on record the copies of the messages he had sent to the officials concerned. This in fact makes the conduct of NHAI officers even more serious, the court said.
Published – July 11, 2025 11:49 pm IST
