Overview
- The court disposed of a public interest case on alleged tree clearing for solar parks and ordered that no Khejri be cut without legal approval with notice to a state committee.
- The bench called the plan to fell trees for renewable power a “breathtaking irony” and urged officials to find options that avoid losing even one tree.
- The state informed the judges it had set up a special committee on March 9 to study other states’ tree laws, consult stakeholders, and prepare draft measures within a month.
- The petitioner NGO was allowed to assist the committee and can return to court if cutting resumes or grievances remain after the review.
- Khejri, a rare desert species that the court said can appear as sparsely as one tree per half square kilometer, holds deep significance for Bishnoi communities, who have rallied a Save Khejri Movement.