Following the approval of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted in the state to probe the allocation of forest land. In every district, this SIT will function under the chairmanship of the respective District Magistrate. In May 2025, the Supreme Court issued a significant order applicable to all states, specifically in the context of a case involving reserved forest land in Pune.
In compliance with the Supreme Court’s directives—and following Chief Minister Dhami’s approval—Special Investigation Teams, headed by District Magistrates, have been constituted within the state to investigate reserved forest lands currently under the jurisdiction of the Revenue Department that have been allocated to private entities for non-forestry purposes.
**Order Issued Last May**
The Supreme Court had directed all states to constitute SITs to ascertain whether any reserved forest land had been allocated to the private sector for non-forestry objectives. The states and Union Territories were further directed to reclaim possession of such land and hand it over to the Forest Department.
The Bench observed that if it is determined that reclaiming possession of the land would not serve the broader public interest, the respective governments must recover the monetary value of said land from the individuals or entities to whom it was allocated. The funds generated from such recovery are to be utilized for the development of forests. A timeframe of one year was allotted for the constitution of these SITs
