India, Nov. 13 -- The Bombay High Court on Wednesday expressed its disappointment over the delay in identifying alternate land for the rehabilitation of encroachers living in the Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP). Stating that the process has been "stuck for a long time", the bench directed the Maharashtra government to identify three 90-acre plots for the rehabilitation within two weeks.

A division bench of chief justice Shree Chandrashekhar and justice Gautam Ankhad was hearing a contempt of court petition filed by the Conservation Action Trust in 2023. The NGO's petition highlights the state government's failure to comply with several court orders, dating back to 1997, to protect the national park and rehabilitate eligible encroacher...