On December 6- 1996 , the Supreme Court of India passed it's historic judgement based on 1995 civil writ petition no 202 filed by T N Godavarman against the union of India taking cognisance  of the extensive deforestation in the North Eastern States. To conserve the country's declining forest , the apex court laced it's judgement with an interim order  banning the felling of trees & wood based activities in North Eastern State. Despite Supreme Court Order, there are several saw mill operating freely in Meghalaya Industrial Development Area- Umiam. Several truck loads of timer are unloaded everyday. The permission is for small furniture manufacturing however these timbers are converted into ply boards & transported out of the state in clear violation of Supreme Court order. Forest Dept & Meghalaya Electricity corporation Limited have a deep rooted nexus with these timber mill owners.