Court Rejects Plea for 'City Forest' Designation of Defunct Mill Land

The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed a public interest litigation demanding the designation of 42 acres of the defunct Hukumchand Mill as a 'city forest'. This decision came after environmental activist Omprakash Joshi and others filed the petition.

The court, comprising Justice Vivek Rusia and Justice Jai Kumar Pillai, noted that the concept of a 'city forest' is not recognized under the Indian Forest Act. Despite the petitioners' pleas, the court rejected the notion and allowed the area to be used for development purposes, acknowledging its current status as a naturally regenerated forest.

The Madhya Pradesh Housing and Infrastructure Development Board plans to use 60% of the land for commercial uses while allocating 40% for residential purposes. The board has already invested significant sums for redevelopment, dismissing the notion of leaving the land for greenery. Meanwhile, the government is drafting plans to plant trees in another area of Indore.

(With inputs from agencies.)