Uttarakhand High Court slams government over living conditions of Van Gujjars

It directed steps should be taken to allow their entry into Govind Pashu Vihar National Park to eke out a living if they test negative for COVID-19 and have the required legal documents with them.

The Uttarakhand High Court has reprimanded the State government for stopping some Van Gujjar families on the way to Govind Pashu Vihar National Park in Uttarkashi district and said their right to life is being violated by the authorities. Hearing a PIL filed by an NGO to seek the court’s intervention in addressing the plight of the forest-dwelling nomadic families on Tuesday, a division Bench of the Uttarakhand High Court comprising Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Alok Kumar Verma ordered immediate steps to address the problems of the families. “...Prima facie, the fundamental right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution of India is being violated by the respondents,” the court observed.