The Supreme Court on Tuesday emphasized the need for authorities to take all possible measures to prevent fire incidents in Uttarakhand before the next season. Justices B.R. Gavai and K. S. Vishwanath were hearing a case concerning forest fires in the state. Previously, on May 17, the Supreme Court had stressed the importance of protecting valuable forests from fire dangers, noting that the lawsuit regarding Uttarakhand’s forest fires was not adversarial.
During the hearing, the bench acknowledged that the rainy season has begun in Uttarakhand, implying there is no immediate urgency, but insisted that proactive steps must be taken before the next season. The court referenced a recent incident where, despite a positive report presented at the last hearing, four forest guards died in a forest fire shortly thereafter.
A lawyer present in the court highlighted the Supreme Court’s May 17 order, noting Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s commitment to collaborate with the Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand, the amicus curiae, representatives of the Central Empowered Committee, and senior advocate Rajiv Dutta, who had filed an application on the forest fire issue, to find a solution. Meetings have already been held, and additional meetings are scheduled for August to address the issue further.
