Morni Hills demarcation: HC imposes Rs 20K cost on Haryana over delayed application

Panchkula: The Punjab and Haryana high court sought clarification from the Haryana govt regarding the survey and demarcation of nearly 45 acres of land in Morni Hills, while imposing a cost of Rs 20,000 on the state for filing a delayed application.The direction came during the hearing of a case filed by advocate Vijay Bansal, where the state sought exemption from the personal appearance of the forest and wildlife department secretary. The court accepted the application but directed the state to deposit the cost with the Poor Patients Welfare Fund at PGIMER, Chandigarh.The court observed that the application indicated that survey and demarcation work in Morni Hills was already completed before April 16. It has now asked the applicant's counsel to verify and clarify the correctness of these claims. The matter is listed for further hearing on May 15.The case stems from earlier directions issued by the high court on June 20, 2025, mandating the forest settlement officer (FSO) to expedite the process of survey, demarcation and submission of a report for notifying the land as a reserved forest under the Indian Forest Act, 1927. The court also ordered that all non-forest activities in the Morni Hills area remain prohibited until the final notification is issued.However, the court later noted delays in compliance. Instead of proceeding as directed, the Haryana govt reconstituted the FSO into a three-member panel in Sept 2025 without seeking prior approval from the court. The court expressed concern over the delay and even initiated contempt proceedings against the Forest Secretary earlier this year for non-compliance with its orders.The ongoing proceedings are part of the court's continued monitoring to ensure timely protection and legal status of forest land in the ecologically sensitive Morni Hills region.
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