E-Paper
Rishikesh forest land lease case: Stones pelted at police during protest against probe committee
Rishikesh forest land lease case: Stones pelted at police during protest against probe committee
Rishikesh, Stones were pelted at police and forest department teams during a protest by locals on Sunday against the actions of an investigation committee constituted on the orders of the Supreme Court regarding the lease of 2,866 acres of reserved forest land.
The protesters also blocked the highway and railway tracks for several hours.
However, upon receiving information, Dehradun Senior Superintendent of Police Ajay Singh reached the spot and persuaded them to restore traffic on the railway line and highway.
Following the order passed by the Supreme Court on December 22 in the case of the lease of reserved forest land, the Uttarakhand government had constituted an investigation committee which is surveying the forest land.
During this process, local people started protesting.
People staged a sit-in on the railway tracks in the Mansa Devi area at 4 pm, stopping the Rishikesh-bound Barmer Express for four hours. Some protesters also blocked the road.
During the protest, stones were pelted at the police and forest department teams.
The officers present at the spot tried to reason with the people, but they did not relent. Upon receiving information, the SSP reached the spot and removed the blockade on the railway line and highway, restoring traffic.
To deal with any situation firmly and to send a message of maintaining law and order in the area, the police also conducted a 'flag march' in the Shyampur area of Rishikesh.
The investigation committee is required to submit its status report to the Supreme Court before January 5 regarding the lease of 2,866 acres of reserved forest land. Therefore, despite the strong opposition, the investigation committee continued its on-site measurement work in areas like Bapu Gram, Shivaji Nagar, Meera Nagar, Nandu Farm, Malviya Nagar, Amit Gram, Mansa Devi, etc.
According to experts, since the land in these areas falls under the reserved forest category, registration is not possible, but this valuable forest land under lease is allegedly being bought and sold freely on a stamp paper worth only ₹100.
They said that while the government owns the land, local people are involved in its buying and selling.
When this matter reached the Supreme Court through a petition filed by Anita Kandwal, those involved in the alleged buying and selling of land leased by the forest department are facing difficulties and are protesting against the inquiry committee, they said.
The inquiry committee's proceedings have been ongoing for the past two days and are being continuously opposed.
The SSP said that those who are inciting the public against the inquiry committee's actions for their own interests have been identified, and cases are being registered against them.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
