1 2025:CGHC:32504 NAFR HIGH COURT OF CHHATTISGARH AT BILASPUR WPC No. 3600 of 2025 1 - Jethua S/o Late Rovan Aged About 70 Years R/o Gram Panchayat Bhanora, Village Adhaura, Tahsil Balrampur, District Balrampur Ramanujganj Chhattisgarh ... Petitioner(s) versus 1 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through The Secretary, Department Of Revenue, Mahanadi Bhavan, Mantralaya, Atal Nagar, Nawa Raipur, District Raipur Chhattisgarh 2 - State Of Chhattisgarh Through The Secretary, Department Of Forest, Mahanadi Bhavan, Mantralaya, Atal Nagar, Nawa Raipur, District Raipur Chhattisgarh 3 - The Collector, Balrampur, District Balrampur Ramanujganj Chhattisgarh 4 - Sub Divisional Forest Officer, (Dfo), Balrampur Forest Division, Balrampur, District Balrampur Ramanujganj Chhattigarh 5 - Sub Divisional Officer, (Revenue), Balrampur District Balrampur Ramanujganj Chhattisgarh 6 - Forest Range Officer, Forest Range Balrampur, District Balrampur Ramanujganj Chhattisgarh ... Respondents For Petitioner : Mr. Rishikant Mahobia, Advocate For Respondents : Mr. Praveen Das, Deputy Advocate General Hon’ble Shri Justice Arvind Kumar Verma, Judge Order on Board 14/07/2025 1. By way of this writ petition, the petitioner has prayed for the following reliefs:- “10.1 That, the Hon’ble Court may kindly be pleased to quash and set aside the impugned notice dated ALFIZA BAIG Digitally signed by ALFIZA BAIG Date: 2025.07.15 17:29:49 +0530 2 20.6.2025 issued by the respodnent Forest Department in relation to the land situated in Compartment No. P-3394 Gram Panchayat- Bhanora, Vilalge Adhaura, Tahsil-Balrampur, District Balrampur, Ramanujganj, C.G. being illegal, arbitrary, violative of the principles of natural justice and without authority of law. b. That, this Hon’ble Court may kindly be pleased to direct the respondent department to consider and decide the application dated 24.06.2025 of the petitioner filed before the them for grant of Van Adhikar Patta in respect of said within some stipulated period. c. That, this Hon’ble Court may kindly be pleased to grant any other relief(s), which is deemed fit and proper in the aforesaid facts and circumstancse of the case.” 2. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that the impugned notices fail to take into account the reply dated 24.06.2025 submitted by the petitioner which clearly states their long standing possession and the presence of govt. supported infrastructure. He submits that the petitioner has claimed for grant of Van Adhikar Patta upon the said land, in which, the petitioner is an occupant alongwith his family. Till date, no decision in respect of said application has been taken by the respondent authorities. On the other hand, they are not taking decision upon the application for grant of patta filed by the petitioner and on the other hand, respondent department are saying to vacate the said land forthwith, failing which coercive action shall be taken. 3. On the other hand, learned counsel for the State opposes the relief sought 3 by the learned counsel for the petitioner. 4. I have heard learned counsel for the respective parties and perused the record with utmost circumspection. 5. On bare perusal of the record available, it is clear that the Forest Department issued a notice (Annexure P/1) vide dated 20.06.2025 to the petitioner stating therein that the petitioner shall produce the relevant documents relating to the land in question within three days from the issuance of notice. Upon which the petitioner made several application (Annexure P/2) dated 06.05.2006, 24.10.2006, 17.09.2008 and 04.06.2019. On 24.06.2025 the petitioner made a detailed application (Annexure P/3) to the Collector, Balrampur, District Ramanujganj, Chhattisgarh wherein the petitioner requested to consider his application and grant forest rights lease to the petitioner. 6. Looking to the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case and keeping in mind the submission made by the respective counsels, it is clear that the petitioner along with his family members is living in that disputed land over a long period of time and there is no other place for them where they can reside and also looking to the fact that the petitioner since 2006 is continuously making filing application in this regard but no action has been taken in respect of the grant of lease/patta. Therefore, this Court directs that concerned respondent authorities to decide the application of the petitioner within three months from the date of receipt of copy of this order in accordance with law. 7. It is also directed that no coercive steps/actions shall be taken against the petitioner till the decision upon the application filed by the petitioner is 4 taken. 8. With the aforesaid direction, the present petition is disposed of. Certified copies as per rules. sd/- (Arvind Kumar Verma) JUDGE Alfiza