No plot possession yet, Rohtak allottees move HC against HSVP

The Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) is caught in a catch-22 situation over felling of trees to clear land for residential plots in a Rohtak sector.

As many as 50 allottees of plots in Sector 6, who have not been given the possession yet, have moved a contempt petition at the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the HSVP.

On the other hand, local residents are opposing the move to cut the trees to make way for plots.

Yesterday, a group of local residents took out a 'funeral procession' of trees and staged a protest demonstration in front of the local mini-secretariat with an 'effigy' of trees. Earlier this week, an elderly resident had climbed a tree and threatened to hang himself as workers accompanied by the police force reached a site in Sector 6 to cut trees.

Residents opposing the felling of trees maintain that the authorities concerned are cutting trees despite the Supreme Court's orders of maintaining status quo on the said land.

"The matter is also under consideration of the National Green Tribunal (NGT), but the cutting of trees is still going on," said Naveen Jaihind, a local social activist and former AAP leader.

On the other hand, HSVP Administrator Dr Brahmjeet Singh Rangi said the land was being cleared for the plots in compliance with the directions of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in Civil

Original Contempt Petition (COCP) No. 1826, which is now slated to be heard on September 5. Questioned about the order of the Supreme Court regarding status quo on the said land, Rangi said no such order was in their knowledge. "The persons claiming that such an order has been issued should provide us a copy of the said order," he stated.