High Court seeks status report on forest encroachments in Kotkhai area

SHIMLA: Expressing concern over the raising apple orchards by encroaching upon government land in the Kotkhai area of Shimla, the High Court on Wednesday directed the Tehsildar to file fresh status report informing the court about the factual position of encroachments made on the forest land.

Legal Correspondent

Shimla, April 18

Expressing concern over the raising apple orchards by encroaching upon government land in the Kotkhai area of Shimla, the High Court on Wednesday directed the Tehsildar to file fresh status report informing the court about the factual position of encroachments made on the forest land. While passing this direction, a division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan listed the matter for further hearing on May 2.

The court passed this order on a petition taken up suo moto by the court as a Public Interest Litigation on a letter written to the Chief Justice by a resident of Chaithala village in Kotkhai tehsil, Shimla district.It was alleged in the letter that around 40 residents of Chaithala, Nagpuri Chaithala, Karewag Chaithala and Sevag Chaitala villages in Shimla district have raised apple orchards on around 500 bighas of government land. They have felled Deodar trees on the government land and raised orchards. Some of them have even availed financial help from the government for constructing apple grading and packing house and water storage tanks. The petitioner also alleged that the government had also provided the electricity and water connections to the encroachers. In its earlier order, the court had directed the state authorities to remove all encroachments and file status report. In compliance of this order, the Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) had informed the court through his affidavit that for ascertaining the factual position the state had constituted two special teams consisting officials of revenue, forest, IPH, HPSEB, PWD and the horticulture department to inspect the government/forest land in Chainthla village of Kotkhai area in Shimla district.

It was mentioned in the affidavit that so far about 400 bighas of government land has been inspected by these teams out of a total of 960 bighas. After spot inspection, it has been found that 132 bighas has been encroached.