'Form SIT, lodge FIR against SADA officials for tree felling, illegal constructions'

To probe the axing of fruit trees on agricultural land and illegal constructions in Herbertpur, Vikasnagar and around Dehradun, the High Court of Uttarakhand has directed the chief secretary to form a special investigation team(SIT) headed by an inspector general level officer.

Further, the senior superintendent of police has been directed to lodge a First Information Report against Special Area Development Authority (SADA) officials during whose tenure the trees were cut and illegal constructions were made.

The High Court directed all the civil courts in the state to not hear cases pertaining to orders passed by SADA for demolition of illegal constructions under the UP Special Area Development Authority Act 1986. The high court further directed the registrar general to issue a summon to the Vikasnagar civil judge (senior division) and present a copy of the order passed by him in October 2013 staying demolition of illegal construction. The petitioner in the case has also been directed to provide all relevant documents to the SIT.

The SIT has been directed to complete probe in three months and register case while the heads of departments concerned have also been directed to initiate departmental action against accused officials. The high court also directed the state government to draft legal provisions in three months to regulate construction of group housing. It should be mentioned here that Anuj Kansal had filed a public interest litigation in the high court stating that trees were being axed and illegal constructions were going on around Dehradun and sought a stay on such activities. The petition was taken up for hearing by the division bench of justices Rajiv Sharma and Lokpal Singh.