The Himachal Pradesh High Court today directed the Deputy Commissioner of Shimla to depute revenue officials for enumeration of trees on private land on a request from the head of forestry force.
A division bench of Acting Chief Justice Sanjay Karol and Justice Ajay Mohan Goel took up suo moto an application moved by residents of Ram Nagar who had alleged that they were fighting for saving the thick forest surrounding the area.
The petitioners claimed that these days with the use of advanced technology, the trees are felled within a minute and thereafter taken away from the spot leaving no proof behind.
They had also alleged that on the midnight of July 13, some trees were felled but after a complaint was made in this regard, many of the trees were saved from being cut with the intervention of forest officer.
The court directed the respondents to file affidavit regarding the aerial survey of the vegetative growth including the trees within the limits of Shimla Municipal Corporation and tagging each tree within the municipal limits with radio frequency verification tags.
On the cost incurred for such enumeration of trees on private land, the court directed the respondents to file an affidavit stating therein as to how the cost is being recovered from the private land owners.
The petitioners had requested that direction be issued to the forest department to take strict action against the persons involved in illegal cutting of trees and also to mark each and every tree in Ram Nagar so that the green trees of Devdar and Oak can be saved from the clutches of these miscreants.
The matter has been listed for December 19 for next hearing.
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
