Overview

• The Supreme Court formally classified 86,409 hectares of Zudpi Jungle in Vidarbha as forest land under its 1996 definition, resolving decades of legal ambiguity.
• Pre-1996 structures and allotments on Zudpi Jungle lands are protected, ensuring no displacement of existing residential, public, or institutional facilities.
• Maharashtra and the Centre must jointly propose plans for land diversion within three months, with Central Empowered Committee oversight and strict compliance protocols.
• Special task forces will be established in each district to remove post-1980 encroachments within two years, ensuring accountability and enforcement.
• The ruling prohibits the diversion of Zudpi Jungle lands to non-governmental entities and mandates compensatory afforestation on double the area if required.