Maharashtra forest land: HC dismisses 176 petitions

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The Bombay High Court on Thursday dismissed 176 petitions challenging the Maharashtra government's action of taking over land after declaring it as reserved forest, observing that its anxiety is to maintain forest cover in the state.

A division bench of judge S C Dharmadhikari and judge P D Naik dismissed the petitions challenging the government's decision of mutating the names of the petitioners as owners from revenue records under the Maharashtra Private Forest (Acquisition) Act, 1975.

Mutation of a property refers to the transfer or change of title entry in revenue records maintained by local civic bodies. "The anxiety of this court is to maintain the forest cover in the state of Maharashtra. It would be improper to rely on the one-sided version of the petitioners who are but builders and developers," the judgment said.

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