Notice to state over encroachments at Kiratpur Sahib

Chandigarh, April 20

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today issued a notice of motion to the state on a PIL for removal of all encroachments over the forest land declared protected area at Sri Kiratpur Sahib.

The Bench of Acting Chief Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and Justice Lapita Banerji also fixed May 14 as the next date of hearing on the petition filed by Nikhil Tandon through counsel Binat Sharma. Among other things, he contended that several criminal complaints had already been filed by the forest authorities in the “criminal courts” at Sri Anandpur Sahib for destroying protected forest land.

Sharma, in the petition, submitted Kiratpur Sahibhad great religious and historical importance. The adjoining protected forest area was owned by the state government and the Forest Department. But unfortunately some anti-social elements for their benefit, by conniving with local administration, were trying to take over the forest by changing its basic nature. “They were levelling the land and thereafter were building shops over it. They were then selling these to different buyers. The department did nothing, but merely file criminal complaints,” it was added.