The provision, introduced in 2002 to regularise encroachments on government and forest lands, was declared arbitrary and ultra vires to the Constitution.
The interim stay comes in response to a petition filed by environmentalist and former Deputy Mayor of Shimla, Tikender Singh Panwar, who argued that the ongoing tree felling during peak harvest season was unscientific, anti-farmer, inhuman and environmentally disastrous.
The environmentalists, local residents, former mayors and deputy mayors of Shimla City accused the authorities of removing trees illegally in the name of removing dangerous trees.
In his letter dated August 29, 2023, Tikender Singh Panwar highlighted several issues related to the bidding process and project costs, urging immediate action, including the cancellation of the bid process.
A case has been registered for unscientific construction and violating the norms to build the road which caused landslides, flood and killed so many people during the heavy rains in the state. Tikender said that this was criminal negligence as norms have been violated and it had adversely af