20-WP-504-202.DOC IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY CIVIL APPELLATE JURISDICTION WRIT PETITION NO.504 OF 2024 Ansari Waqar Ahmad Mohd. Yusuf …Petitioner Versus The State of Maharashtra & Anr. …Respondents Ms. Aisha Z. Ansari, for the Petitioner. Mr. B. V. Samant, Addl. GP a/w. Mr. M. M. Pable, AGP, for the Respondent-State. CORAM: BHARATI DANGRE & MANJUSHA DESHPANDE, JJ. DATED : 4th MARCH 2026 PC: 1. The Petitioner is aggrieved by the impugned communication dated 7th June 2022 (Exhibit-D), rejecting the request of the Petitioner to permit laying of pipeline from Lonwade Shivar on the ground of the existing prohibition under the Indian Forest Act, 1927 and the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980. 2. The impugned communication is issued by the Respondent No.2-Forest Range Officer, Malegaon Region, District-Nashik. Page 1 Sonali SONALI MILIND PATIL Digitally signed by SONALI MILIND PATIL Date: 2026.03.05 18:14:50 +0530 20-WP-504-202.DOC 3. On hearing Ms. Ansari, for the Petitioner and the learned AGP, we do not find any flaw in the impugned order as we note that if activity of laying down of pipeline in the forest is prohibited under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, and the Petitioner must seek necessary permission from the Central Government, if at all she desires the said permission. 4. With these observations, we dispose of the Writ Petition with liberty to the Petitioner to take such appropriate steps as are available in law. [MANJUSHA DESHPANDE, J.] [BHARATI DANGRE, J.] Page 2 Sonali