The Supreme Court has agreed to urgently hear petitions on Uttarakhand forest fires on May 8, following reports that 90% of the blazes were “man-made”. The Bench, headed by Justice B.R. Gavai, instructed petitioners, including senior advocate Rajiv Dutta, to inform the amicus curiae, advocate K. Parameshwar.
The Uttarakhand government, represented by its Deputy Advocate General, will be present for the hearing and sought permission to file a status report by the next hearing. With over 900 incidents of fires in the past six months and 351 cases related to “man-made” forest fires registered, the situation is alarming. The petitions, pending in the Supreme Court for years, highlight the urgent need for measures to prevent forest fires and protect the ecosystem in Uttarakhand.