VS plea to appoint senior advocates in cases of Forest Department

Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan has urged the government that senior advocates should be appointed to conduct cases of the Forest Department.

 In a letter to Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Sunday, he said that special arrangement should be made immediately as in many cases the State Government was failing to forcefully present its case. ‘’During budget discussions of the Forest Department, the Opposition had pointed out that in many cases of the Department the State Government was failing miserably.

 Forest Minister K B Ganesh Kumar, in his reply, had informed the House that senior advocates would be appointed to conduct  the cases of the Department.

He even assured that, if needed, eminent advocates from outside would be roped in. But no steps have been taken by the State Government despite the promise,’’ Achuthanandan said in his  letter.  Achuthanandan said many cases, including Nelliyampathy forest land, Panthaloor temple land and Harrison Malayalam case, are in the High Court.

 He alleged that removing senior government pleader and replacing him with advocate-general in the cases of the Department was against the assurance given by the Forest Minister in the House.