15 huts demolished in Shimla following HC orders

Shimla, Jun 15 (UNI) Around 15 huts (Dharas) were demolished at the Court Hill area of Shimla, Himachal Pradesh today, after the High court ordered the demolition of all encroachments on forest areas of the Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC).

''Only 15 huts out of a total of 134 were demolished today.

The department is preparing a strategy to demolish the remaining encroachments,'' Shimla DFO (Urban) RK Raj told UNI here today.

Today's demolitions were carried out by the PWD and Forest Department labourers following orders by the Himachal Pradesh High court, which had directed the state government to remove all encroachments within the SMC by June 30.

The court, in its order dated June six, had also directed the Principal Secretary Forests to file a fresh affidavit, explaining the steps taken by the department to remove all encroachments.

Mr Raj said the court's order of removing all encroachments within the SMC would be adhered to.

He said those people occupying the huts demolished today, had earlier vacated them after the court's order, and they had faced no resistance in their demolition.

Meanwhile, the Himachal unit of the CPM today criticised the state government and the SMC for carrying out the demolition in the town, saying they had failed to safeguard the interests of the people.

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