E-Paper
Notified area in Morni block: HC restrains Haryana from construction work
Order came on the plea of a local who had submitted that Punjab Land Preservation Act was enacted to save Shivalik area from land erosion and most of the land of Morni Hills area is notified under Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Act
The Punjab and Haryana high court has restrained the Haryana government from allowing construction in the Morni block of Panchkula until and unless the same has been duly approved and sanctioned by the competent authority.
The plea was from Vijay Bansal, a local who had submitted that the Punjab Land Preservation Act was enacted to save the Shivalik area from land erosion and most of the land of the Morni Hills area is notified under Sections 3, 4 and 5 of the Act. The land has become forestland in view of an apex court judgment.
A major tourist attraction point, the area is seeing unplanned growth for years together, posing ecological challenges.
It says in 1987, the government had appointed the then sub-divisional officer (civil), Kalka, as settlement officer, but settlement has not been completed till date in spite of spending of ₹1.64 crore on salary and allowances.
It says the government be directed to conduct the settlement in a time-bound manner and further to implement the recommendation of a report submitted in 1987.
The residents of the Morni block come within the definition of “traditional forest dwellers” from all angles and for all intents and purposes but no efforts have been made neither at political nor at administrative level “to secure social, economic and political justice to the people”. The court taking note of the plea adjourned the matter for July 19 and directed that construction should not be allowed without the due approval of the authorities concerned.
