CWPIL No. 61 of 2009 05.03.2010 Present: Mr. C. N. Singh, Advocate, Amicus Curiae, for the petitioner. Mr. Vivek Thakur, Addl. Advocate General with Mr. R.M. Bisht, Dy. Advocate General for the respondents. A communication sent to this Court has been treated as a Public Interest Litigation. The claim of the petitioner is that trees of Deodar and Pine in the Kumarhatti – Barog area are drying due to some disease and this disease is caused by some Red coloured creeper (vine) which is drying up the trees. Reply has been filed by the Chief Conservator of Forest in which it is stated that the field enquires reveal that some trees of Chil and Oak between Kumarhatti and Shimla have dried due to forest fire which took place due to the prolonged dry spell in the year 2009. It is further stated that there is no incidence of parasitic climber noticed along this stretch. According to the Chief Conservator of Forest the description of the climber as given in the petition indicates that it is a non parasitic climber which is an integral part of the floral diversity of temperate forests. We are not experts in this field. Keeping in view the reply filed we dispose of this petition without any further orders. We however make it clear that it shall be open to the petitioner or any other person to file a comprehensive petition giving complete details, if so advised, on the drying up of the trees. However, before parting with the case, we appreciate the valuable assistance rendered to -2- this Court by Sh. C. N. Singh, Advocate, learned Amicus Curiae appointed by this Court. (Deepak Gupta), Judge (Sanjay Karol), Judge. March 5, 2010 (PK)