Uttarakhand forest fires: SC asks petitioner to file additional documents to support their plea

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the petitioner to file additional documents in support of their Public Interest Litigation (PIL), which had sought urgent steps to protect the forest, wildlife and birds in the wake of the forest fires in Uttarakhand.

A division bench of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice BR Gavai was hearing a petition filed by advocate Rituparn Uniyal, a native of Tehri Garhwal district in Uttarakhand, seeking directions to Central and state government to frame a policy to prevent wildfires in the state.

Initially, the top court asked Uniyal to approach the High Court but later directed him to file additional documents in support of his petition.

The petitioner had moved the apex court seeking an urgent hearing in the matter on the basis of media reports which highlighted as many as 1451 incidents of forest fires last year and 1493 incidents in the months of April and May, this year.

The petition sought a direction to declare the animal kingdom as "legal entities having a distinct persona with corresponding rights, duties and liabilities of a living person."

Contending that forest blazes have increased over the years and caused huge loss to the environment, the petitioner sought directions to the Centre, the Uttarakhand government and the Principal Chief Conservator of forests in the state to "make pre-fire arrangements and frame a policy to prevent forest fires."

The advocate further sought an investigation into the issue by an independent agency.