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States » NorthPosted at: May 4 2025 1:05AM


Himachal: RTI activist seeks fast-track courts for forest land encroachment cases

Shimla, May 3 (UNI) RTI activist Surendra Kumar Papata, who has been spearheading a lone battle against drug smugglers, forest cutters, and illegal encroachments in Rohru, has demanded the establishment of fast-track courts to expedite pending cases related to forest and government land encroachments in Himachal Pradesh.
In a press release issued here on Saturday, he expressed concern that despite repeated court orders,
encroachment cases continue to drag on due to delays in the judicial process.
“Influential encroachers are using their financial resources and legal expertise to prolong cases, while ground-level action has almost come to a standstill,” he alleged.
He pointed out that even after eviction in some areas, re-encroachments have occurred, and farming and horticulture activities have resumed.
In several cases, electricity and water connections have also been restored, in direct violation of court
orders.
Papata cited the Himachal Pradesh High Court’s direction to remove all illegal encroachments by March 31, 2025, but blamed lack of coordination between the Forest and police departments, staff shortages and misuse of legal loopholes as major hurdles.
He has proposed setting up fast-track courts to ensure time-bound disposal of encroachment disputes, use of drones and satellite imagery for regular monitoring, quick verification of claims under the Forest Rights Act (2006), and clear coordination protocols between enforcement agencies.
UNI ML
Tags: #Himachal: RTI activist seeks fast-track courts for forest land encroachment cases
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