SHIMLA: The Himachal Pradesh high court has directed removal of all encroachments from forest land in excess to 5 bighas of land. The court also issued the directions that it shall be personal responsibility of the office-bearers and officers, irrespective of their rank and file, of gram panchayat, gram sabha, panchayat samiti, zila parishad. It said that employees and officials of the forest, revenue and police department would ensure that orders passed by the court are complied with in letter and spirit.
A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan passed these orders in a bunch of petitions, regarding encroachment of forest land.
The court in its earlier order had directed disconnection of electricity and water connections provided to all illegal structures raised over government land and removal of encroachments, destruction of crops and plants over the encroached land and to fence the vacated land.
It directed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest to place on record the half yearly report submitted by the forest guards with respect to the number of encroachments. It also directed the state, forest department and deputy commissioner to submit report regarding recovery of undue profit made by the encroachers.
It further directed these respondents to ensure that in cases of encroachments no encroacher is permitted to enter the encroached land, for any purpose such as cultivation of crops, pruning the apples or other fruits from the trees standing thereupon, digging or spraying or reaping the harvest from the encroached land. Directions were also issued to the respondents to use drone not only to keep hawk eye on encroached areas but also detect the cases of fresh encroachment.
The court has directed the respondents to file status and compliance report clearly stating therein the action taken by them in ensuring compliance of all the orders that have been passed from time to time, by the Court in the matters of encroachments, particularly those over the forest land. Next hearing of the case will now take place on December 20.
A division bench comprising acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan passed these orders in a bunch of petitions, regarding encroachment of forest land.
The court in its earlier order had directed disconnection of electricity and water connections provided to all illegal structures raised over government land and removal of encroachments, destruction of crops and plants over the encroached land and to fence the vacated land.
It directed the Principal Chief Conservator of Forest to place on record the half yearly report submitted by the forest guards with respect to the number of encroachments. It also directed the state, forest department and deputy commissioner to submit report regarding recovery of undue profit made by the encroachers.
It further directed these respondents to ensure that in cases of encroachments no encroacher is permitted to enter the encroached land, for any purpose such as cultivation of crops, pruning the apples or other fruits from the trees standing thereupon, digging or spraying or reaping the harvest from the encroached land. Directions were also issued to the respondents to use drone not only to keep hawk eye on encroached areas but also detect the cases of fresh encroachment.
The court has directed the respondents to file status and compliance report clearly stating therein the action taken by them in ensuring compliance of all the orders that have been passed from time to time, by the Court in the matters of encroachments, particularly those over the forest land. Next hearing of the case will now take place on December 20.
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