The Forest department will file a review petition in the Court before 10th May, 2025, seeking regularization of roads constructed in violation of the Forest (Conservation) Act (FCA), 1980. Chairing a high-level meeting of the Forest department, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu stressed the importance of pursuing legal recourse to regularize these roads in view of the larger public interest. He directed the department to take appropriate steps in this regard.
A total of 2,183 such roads have been identified across the state, including 613 in the Shimla zone, 821 in Mandi zone, 254 in Hamirpur zone, and 495 in Kangra zone. These roads were built prior to the implementation of the Forest Rights Act (FRA), 2006 in Himachal Pradesh, which came into effect in the state in 2016. This Act aims to recognize and vest the forest rights in the forest dwelling communities, who have been residing in and dependent on forest land for at-least three generations.
Industries Minister Harshwardhan Chauhan, Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister Anirudh Singh, Additional Chief Secretary K.K. Pant, Secretary Law Sharad Kumar Lagwal, Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Sanjay Sood and other senior officers attended the meeting.
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