Debi Charan Adhikari v. The State Of West Bengal And ORS.

05.01.2024 Item No.8 gd/ssd WPA/2894/2023 DEBI CHARAN ADHIKARI VS STATE OF WEST BENGAL & ORS.

Mr. Anirban Banerjee, Mr. Gopal Roy ..for the petitioner.

Mr. Joyjit Choudhury, Mr. Nabankur Paul, Mr. Pradip Sarkar ..for the State.

The petitioner says that several persons who are not the residents of the locality of Nathua area are getting funds illegally as a result of which the petitioner and the other local residents who are willing to work for the development of the local forest are being deprived.

It is the further case of the petitioner that fund which has been allocated to the respondent no. for the Protection, Forest Management & Conservation of Wildlife in the forest area is being misused by the respondent no. 5 as the fund is not equally distributed amongst the members of the committee and several members including the petitioner are not receiving their share of fund. It is the further allegation of the petitioner that a committee which was constituted in the year 2022 was suddenly dissolved on November 2, 2023.

The petitioner seeks a direction upon the 3rd respondent to take step for equal distribution of the fund allocated to the members of the forest management committee Nathua Forest Range.

The learned advocate for the petitioner, in his usual fairness, submits that no representation raising the aforesaid grievances have been made before the competent authority.

In view thereof WPA 2894 of 2023 is disposed of by giving liberty to the petitioner to submit a comprehensive representation along with a server copy of this order before the Divisional Forest Officer, Jalpaiguri being the 3rd respondent who shall upon receipt of such representation consider and dispose of the same by passing a reasoned order after giving an opportunity of hearing to the petitioner and/or any other interested persons/members of the committee and to communicate such reasoned order within a period of four weeks from the date of receipt of the representation in terms of this order. There shall be, however, no order as to costs. (HIRANMAY BHATTACHARYYA, J.)