Chandrakant Valvi, the Gujarat GST Commissioner, is facing legal action from the National Green Tribunal (NGT) following an investigation into land acquisition near Mahabaleshwar, Maharashtra. The NGT is considering him as a respondent (a person being sued) in the land grabbing case, which was initiated after the media reports highlighted alleged illegal activities on the acquired land.

Valvi is accused of acquiring 620 acres of land in a village near Mahabaleshwar. Reports indicate that after the land acquisition, there have been illegal activities such as construction, mining, tree cutting, illegal road construction, and water extraction from forest areas, violating environmental regulations, which are detrimental to the region’s biodiversity.

The NGT has been prompted to take action based on a suo moto notice.

Several government agencies, including the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Ministry of Environment and Forests, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, and District Collector of Satara, have already been accused in the case. However, Valvi’s name was not initially included due to the lack of address information.

The NGT has ordered the District Collector of Satara to find Valvi’s address and submit it to the registry within a week. Once the address is obtained, Valvi will be added as a respondent, and a notice for filing an affidavit will be issued to him.

The NGT has given four weeks for MPCB, CPCB, and the Satara District Collector to submit their affidavits. Notices have also been sent to the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and the Central Ministry of Environment and Forests. 

A hearing is scheduled for November 11.

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