Hope forest fire funds would be used wisely and not on iPhones: SC

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it would hear on April 14 a plea concerning forest fires in Uttarakhand after the state said it has taken steps to prevent such incidents.

The counsel appearing for the Uttarakhand government informed a bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih that meetings were held on the issue and a proposal was sent to the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

When the bench said the summer season, during which incidents of forest fires are frequently reported, was approaching, the state's counsel said steps have been taken to prevent such incidents.

"He (state's counsel) says there is some development," the bench told the applicant who has raised the issue of forest fires in Uttarakhand.

"We will have it on April 14," the bench said.

It asked the counsel appearing for the Union environment ministry to take instructions in the matter.

The bench expressed the hope that the funds allocated for dealing with and preventing forest fires "would be used for useful purposes and not on iPhones".

In a separate matter, the apex court on March 5 had taken exception to the alleged misuse of the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) funds by the state of Uttarakhand to purchase laptops, iPhones, fridges among other items and directed the chief secretary to file an affidavit.

On March 19, the Uttarakhand government informed the top court that the majority of the CAMPA funds were spent on forestation activities and preservation.

The state government, however, had said a certain amount was used by forest department officials for furniture at their homes aside from an iPhone worth Rs 53,000 and two laptops.

It assured departmental action against the officials concerned.

Taking note of the affidavit filed by the state's chief secretary, the apex court had said it does not propose to proceed any further in the matter.

In the matter relating to forest fires in Uttarakhand, the apex court had in July last year said authorities must put everything in place before the next season to prevent forest fires in the state.