IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM PRESENT : THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE P.R.RAMAN & THE HONOURABLE MR. JUSTICE V.K.MOHANAN THURSDAY, THE 13TH MARCH 2008 / 23RD PHALGUNA 1929 WA.No. 2599 of 1999(E) ---------------------- OP.18828/1998 DATED 28/09/1999 OF THIS COURT APPELLANT/PETITIONER: NATURE LOVER MOVEMENT, THIRUVANKULAM (REG. NO. ER/459/93), REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY M.R. SETHUMADHAVAN, S/O. MANAPPAT RAMAN NAIR, AGED 31, MANAPPAT HOUSE, MUVATTUPUZHA ROAD, THIRUVAMKULAM. BY ADV. SMT.DAISY THAMPI RESPONDENTS/RESPONDENTS: 1. STATE OF KERALA, REPRESENTED BY THE CHIEF SECRETARY, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 2. MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT & FORESTS, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, NEW DELHI. 3. THE FORESTS & WILD LIFE DEPARTMENT, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY, THIRUVANANTHAPURAM. 4. THE SPECIAL ASSISTANT CONSERVATOR OF FOREST, MAMKULAM. 5. THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, IDUKKI. 6. T.B. SASIDHARAN, MAROTTIMMOTTIL, P.O. ADMALI, DEVIKULAM TALUK, IDUKKI DISTRICT, PIN-685 561. 7. C.A. SASSINDRAN, CHEMMANAD HOUSE, P.O. VATTAYAR, KURISUPARA, DEVIKULAM TALUK, IDUKKI DISTRICT. 8. V. MOHAMMED ISMAIL, VAZHAPPARAMBIL HOUSE, P.O. MANKULAM, VIRIPPARA, IDUKKI DISTRICT. W.A. 2599/1999 2 9. T.V. ABRAHAM, THARAPPEL HOUSE, CHITHIRAPURAM P.O., DHOBIPPALAM, IDUKKI DISTRICT. 10. V.N. MOHANAN, VALUPPARAMBIL HOUSE, P.O. VALARA, VADAKKACHAL, IDUKKI DISTRICT. 11. SAHYA HARITHA SANGHAM, REG. NO. 286/99, BANGALAVU THARA, MANKULAM P.O., IDUKKI DISTRICT, REPRESENTED BY ITS SECRETARY. 12. K.V. JAMES, AGED 40 YEARS, S/O. VARKEY, KATHALIKANDAM, VALARA P.O., ADIMALI. 1 13. P.A. JOHNY, AGED 33 YEARS, S/O,. ANTONY, OOTHUPURACKAL, MANGALAM P.O. 14. SAIDHU MOHAMMED, AGED 48, S/O. MOHAMMED, NANIPARUTHAYIL, ADIMALI. P.O. 15. MOHAMMED, AGED 48, S/O. PAREED, KOTTIKADUCHALIL, VALARA P.0O. 16. K.K. THANGAPPAN, AGED 59, S/O. KUTTAN, KOZHAKAYIL, VALARA P.O. 17. DEVASIYA SHOURI, AGED 55, S/O.. DEVASIYA, KOOTTAKUDIYIL, PADICAPPU P.O., PAZHAMPILLICHAL. 18. JOHNY, AGED 37 YEARS, S/O. XAVIER, NELLIJUNNEL, VALARA P.O., OOZHUVITHADAM. 19. PONNAMMA, AGED 38 YEARS, THOTTIKUNNAL, VALARA P.O., PATHINALAMMAIL. 20. SHAJI, AGED 28 YEARS, S/O. AYYAPPAN, CHALOKATTU VEEDU, VALARA P.O., CHILLITHODU. 21. THAMPI, AGED 30 YEARS, KANJIRATHANAM, VALARA P.O., VALARA. ADDITIONAL RESPONDENT NO: 22:- O.A. PAREED, S/O. ALI, AGED 60 YEARS, OTHINAT HOUSE, MANKULAM, DEVIKULAM TALUK, IDUKKI DISTRICT. W.A. 2599/1999 3 (IMPLEADED AS ADDL. RESPONDENT NO. 22 VIDE ORDER IN I.A. N O. 2421/05 DATED 19.8.2005.) GOVERNMENT PLEADER SRI. R. LAKSHMINARAYANAN. SRI.K.BALACHANDRAN (MANGALATH) SRI.D.SREEKUMAR SRI.T.M.ABDUL LATHEEF SRI.T.S.JOHN SRI.M.S.RADHAKRISHNAN NAIR SRI.T.D.SALIM SRI.JOHN VARGHESE, ASSISTANT SG SRI.RAJAN JOSEPH, ADDL. A.G. SRI.P.PARAMESWARAN NAIR,ASST.SOLICITOR THIS WRIT APPEAL HAVING BEEN FINALLY HEARD ON 13/03/2008, THE COURT ON THE SAME DAY DELIVERED THE FOLLOWING: W.A. 2599/1999 4 ORDER ON CMP NOS: 6685/1999 & 2795/2000 // DISMISSED // 13.3.2008. SD/-, P.R. RAMAN, JUDGE. SD/-, V.K. MOHANAN, JUDGE. // TRUE COPY // P.S. TO JUDGE. KNC/- P.R. RAMAN & V. K. MOHANAN, JJ. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = W.A. NO. 2599/1999 = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = DATED THIS, THE 13TH DAY OF MARCH, 2008. J U D G M E N T Raman, J. This is a Public Interest Litigation. The grievance of the appellant raised in the writ petition was that forest land shall not be assigned without authority of law. Learned Single Judge dismissed the writ petition against which this writ appeal is preferred. 2. We have today disposed of a batch of writ petitions enabling the claimants therein to raise their claims before the settlement Officer. As and when final hearing in those cases are fixed, a public notice may be given so that the appellant may also get notice of the same and raise his grievance before the Settlement Officer. The Settlement Officer may also give notice to the appellant on the first hearing date, in a representative capacity in any of the cases. The writ appeal is disposed of as above. P.R. RAMAN, (JUDGE) V. K. MOHANAN, (JUDGE) knc/- :2: P.R. RAMAN & V.K. MOHANAN, JJ. = = = = = = = = = = = W.A. NO. 2599/1999 = = = = = = = = = = J U D G M E N T 13.3.2008