Himachal Pradesh Court Cracks Down on Forest Land Encroachments
The Himachal Pradesh High Court has ordered the state to remove encroachments on forest lands, stressing that these efforts should extend across the entire region. This comes as concerns rise over the felling of fruit trees in these areas. The move aims to address longstanding land grievance issues and accountability lapses.
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The Himachal Pradesh High Court has issued a directive mandating the removal of encroachments on forest lands throughout the state. The court emphasized that efforts should not be confined to a few areas, but must span across Himachal Pradesh.
The ruling, passed by a division bench on Wednesday, follows revelations of extensive fruit tree felling in Chaithla village and the Rohru and Kotgarh forest divisions. However, the court noted that there was no mention of encroachment removal in other forested areas of the state.
This judicial intervention highlights concerns stemming from the apple belt over the removal of long-standing orchards. Former Chief Minister Shanta Kumar called for accountability from officials who allowed these orchards to flourish illegally over decades. Public Interest Litigations have long sought to address the issue.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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