The Kerala High Court on Tuesday directed the State government to take adequate steps to prevent unlawful entry into and encroachment on the Bonacaud forest. The order came on a petition filed by M.N. Jayachandran, chairman, Prakrithi Samrakshana Vedi.
The High Court had ordered that the status quo be maintained with respect to an order of the forest range officer for removing the encroachments on the area, the petitioner pointed out.
The court had also ordered the status quo with respect to a government order allowing believers to erect a wooden cross in the forest area and conduct pilgrimage.
Status quo order
Despite the status quo order, there was an attempt to install a wooden cross in the reserve forest area on September 1, 2017. Of late, believers had announced that they would trek to the forest on Wednesdays.
The petitioner sought a directive to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and the Nedumangad police to take adequate steps to prevent unlawful entry into and encroachment on the forestland.
