SHIMLA: Due to ineffectiveness of state government officials in checking the encroachments on government land in Shimla district , many people have not only amassed huge chunk of government land to raise apple plantations but they also have earned crores of rupees by selling apple produced in the encroached land and have bought properties in Shimla town. Even after the directions of high court, officials have failed to act against these influential and powerful encroachers.A letter of Amicus Curiae JL Bhardwaj has brought to fore the instances of encroachments made by influential people in Jalatha, Chaithla and Pungrish villages of Kotkhai tehsil of Shimla district. Letter said that officials of the state are continuing to carry out operations only against small farmers and no action is being taken against big encroachers.High court has been informed through the letter that various orders have been passed regarding removal of encroachment from government land in Chaithla village but the revenue and forest officials are hand in glove with the big enchroachers and thereby helping the big enchroachers and only small farmers are being targeted. He said that no action has been taken against 13 big encroachers.It said that Pratap Chauhan and his brothers Rajesh and Rajpal of Chaithl village have their lands at Jubbal, Tehsil Chopal and there is also huge enchroachemnt at the said places. At villageCchaithla they have enchroached more than 50 bighas of government land and but only eye wash has been done by cutting just 50 to 100 apple plants. Further, these persons also have packing and grading centre on the encroached land and the plants were set up by obtaining subsidy from the government.They have also constructed about 5 buildings at Shimla and the construction has been done from the money received from encroached land and they being influential persons there are building violations and no action is being taken by the authorities.Similarly, Jagdish Tajta is facing FIR in encroachment case but no action has been taken against him for removal of apple tree at Chaithla and Klemu villges of Kotkhai. He owns about 4 bighas of land at Klemu but has encroached about 40 bighas of government land. He has also taken land on lease at village Jalath Tehsil Kotkhai and there is also huge encroachment in the said orchard. In Chaithla he is having encroachment of more than 20 bighas of land.It was further stated that Mast Ram Tajta his wife Batya Devi and sons Dinesh and Naresh belong to one family and are taking the benefit of 5 bighas of encroached land have encroached about 60 bighas of forest land at village Chaithla. He has also managed to get government water supply through lift scheme to the encroached land and power supply also. The land is about 2km away from the main village and in the middle of the forest and now these persons are managing construction of road through forest department to the said land.As per the letter, and her son Sanjay along with Leela Chauhan and Leela Devi are big encroachers and not even a single tree has been cut from the said land and they are also taking the benefit of 5 bighas of encroached land under the policy.It said that Virender Singh is also big encroacher and is family member of the Tajta’s and is also having encroached land at Pandali Chak and the revenue officials are not taking any action. He is also having more than 20 bighas of encroached land at Village Chaithla.Pradeep and Pramod are also encroacher and not even a single tree has been cut from their land and they are managing the affairs in connivance with revenue officials and they are having encroached land of about 15 to 20 bighas.Raj Ram of Pungrish village was was ordered to be evicted by revenue authorities but the orders are not being implemented and he is also a very influential person. There was an order passed by the civil judge Theog in his favour but in collusion with the prosecution department no further appeal was filed as the person dealing with the case was relative of this person.

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