In a significant development for infrastructure and development projects in Meghalaya, the High Court on Monday recalled its earlier order that required the formation of a special committee to scrutinise permissions related to felling of trees in the state. The order, issued on April 9, had also put on hold all pending applications involving tree cutting for various government-linked projects.
A division bench comprising Justice Hamarsan Thangkhiew and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh reviewed the matter after the state government approached the court highlighting the practical and financial impact of the earlier directive. Officials informed the bench that the suspension of approvals had caused multiple externally-funded eco-tourism and agriculture projects to stall, risking both progress and investment. According to the government, several of these projects are time-bound and associated with financial liabilities, making delays particularly detrimental.
The court acknowledged the concerns and agreed to recall the previous order, but emphasised that the state must strictly adhere to existing environmental regulations, rules, and standard operating procedures before issuing any future permissions for tree felling.
The recalled order had mandated the state to set up a special expert-led committee to review every application involving proposed tree cutting. It was intended as an additional safeguard for environmental protection at a time when concerns over deforestation and rapid urban expansion were rising. However, the suspension of pending cases led to immediate administrative bottlenecks, affecting state-level development and externally-assisted projects.
With the latest directive, the approval process will now continue under current legal frameworks, avoiding further disruption while ensuring environmental compliance.
