Lawyers’ association makes objections to proposed Forest Act amendments
The Hindu
Joining the chorus against the proposed amendments to the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, the All-India Lawyers’ Association for Justice (AILAJ), an association of lawyers, legal professionals and law
Joining the chorus against the proposed amendments to the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, the All-India Lawyers’ Association for Justice (AILAJ), an association of lawyers, legal professionals and law students from across India, has written to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change with its objections.
Beginning with the procedural objections, the association has said that the consultation paper was issued at a time when India was just recovering from the massive COVID-19 pandemic. This has resulted in a situation where key stakeholders to the proposed amendments were not in a situation to effectively respond.
“At this stage, the methodology adopted by the ministry to issue the consultation paper — firstly, only in English language; secondly, only in online mode; thirdly, without broadcasting widely in the press; and fourthly, without localised consultations with effected stakeholders — reveals a lack of inclination, let alone commitment, to any real consultative process. The initiation of such a consultative process in this manner is tantamount to non-consultation and is exclusionary of the vast majority of stakeholders,” the association said.
The election authorities are gearing up for the counting of votes cast in the simultaneous elections to Lok Sabha and Assembly seats in Andhra Pradesh, scheduled to be held on June 4. The Collectors and Election Officers of Visakhapatnam, Anakapalli and Alluri Sitharama Raju (ASR) districts said on May 23 (Thursday) that their teams were ready for the counting of votes.
Responding to the prolonged water scarcity, the residents of the area took to the streets in protest on Wednesday. The protest, which drew attention to their plight, stopped only after the intervention of the police. It was not until 1.30 p.m. that a 4000-litre tanker was finally delivered by BWSSB, providing relief to the water-starved residents.