- (1.) On our request, Shri Harish Salve, the learned amicus curate has given us a brief note on the matters pending before the Green Bench in different categories. He has also made certain suggestions for early disposal of those matters. He has exchanged the aforesaid note with Shri Ranjit Kumar, the learned Solicitor General of India, who represents the Union of India, Shri K.K. Venugopal, learned Senior Counsel, who appears for some of the parties. The learned amicus has classified the matters pending before the Green Bench under different heads such as: i) matters relating to wood based industries, ii) matters relating to National Parks/Wildlife sanctuaries, iii) matters relating to exemptions from the payment of the NPV etc. etc.
(2.) We intend to take up the First Category, viz. Matters relating to Wood based industries. CATEGORY I - MATTERS RELATING TO WOOD BASED INDUSTRIES:
(3.) We have heard Shri Harish Salve, learned amicus curiae, Shri Ranjit Kumar, learned Solicitor General of India, Shri K.K. Venugopal, learned Senior Counsel and other learned Senior Counsel/counsels. Accordingly, we pass the following orders: (i) The State Level Committees for Wood-Based Industries ("SLCs") are, subject to the compliance of the prescribed guidelines and procedure, authorized to take decisions regarding the grant of license/permission to the wood-based industries; (ii) In each State/UT for which the SLC has so far not been constituted, the SLC under the Chairmanship of the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests with a representative of the Ministry of Environment and Forest and Climate Change ("MoEFCC") and an officer of the State Forest Department/Industries Department not below the rank of the Chief Conservator of Forests/equivalent rank will immediately be constituted; (iii) The MoEF is authorized to issue appropriate guidelines in conformation with the orders and directions issued by this Court and also the existing guidelines to the SLCs relating to assessment of timber availability for wood-based industries and grant of license/permission to the wood-based industries including addition of new machineries and also utilization of amounts recovered from the wood-based industries and connected matters; (iv) Any person aggrieved by the decision taken by the SLC may file an appeal before the MoEFCC seeking appropriate relief within 60 days' time. If, for any reason, any person is aggrieved by the orders so passed in the appeal, he may prefer an appropriate petition/application/appeal before the appropriate forum/Court for grant of appropriate reliefs).;