Order

I.A. No. 16 :

We have heard Mr. Dipankar Gupta, learned Senior counsel appearing for the officials of the State Government who have filed their coun­ters in response to the notice issued by this Court. We have also heard Mr. T.R. Andhyarujina, learned Senior counsel representing Mr. B.A. Karimi, the Managing Director of M/s. Bekay Katha Pvt. Ltd., who has filed an affidavit in this Court on March 1998.

2. Mr. Dipankar Gupta, in response to the directions issued to him by us on 4th of May, has brought to our notice various steps which are taken by the Administrative Department and the Forest Department of the State of Jammu & Kashmir after the orders of this Court dated 10th May, 1996, 12th December 1996 and 4th March 1997.

3. From a perusal of the office notings, it appears that M/s. Bekay Kattha Pvt. Ltd. represented to the State Government vide letter dated 18th of March 1997 that this Court had exempted “minor forest produce from the ban on fellings “vide order dated 4th March 1997. On the basis of that representation, an office note was prepared in which para 65 reads thus:

“ Katha’ is a Minor Forest Produce. The Katha is manufactured from the Khair wood. In pursuance of the