HC defers hearing to Aug 5

Legal Correspondent

Shimla, August 3

The High Court today deferred the hearing on the removal of encroachments from forest land for August 5.

During the course of hearing, it was informed to the court that the state had filed a fresh status report in compliance to the orders passed by the court, but the same was not on record of the case file. A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Mansoor Ahmad Mir and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan listed the matter for further hearing on Wednesday.

In its earlier order, the court had permitted the state authorities to conduct the sale of crops on the encroached forest land and utilise the sale price for the purpose of plantation of trees. In its fresh report, the state has informed the court that in compliance to its orders, the state has deputed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest for selling the apple crop on the encroached forest land.

The court passed this order on a petition taken up suo motu by the court as a PIL plea on a letter written to the Chief Justice. It was alleged in the letter that around 40 residents of Chaithala, Nagpuri Chaithala, Karewag Chaithala and Sevag Chaitala villages of Shimla had raised apple orchards on around 500 bighas of government land. They have felled Deodar trees 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.