The Uttarakhand High Court held a joint hearing on multiple Public Interest Litigations (PILs) filed regarding encroachments on various rivers, streams, and drains in Dehradun. During the proceedings, the state government informed the court that two encroachments have been identified along the Rispana River. However, no action has yet been taken against the encroachers.
The court has directed the Station House Officer (SHO) of Raipur, Dehradun to submit a personal affidavit regarding the action taken and filing of any cases. The next hearing has been scheduled for May
Additionally, the court has ordered the Principal Secretary of Forests R.K. Sudhanshu, Principal Secretary of Irrigation Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Secretary of Urban Development Nitish Kumar Jha, and Revenue Secretary S.N. Pandey to be present during the next hearing. They have also been instructed to submit a compliance report on the implementation of court orders.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice G. Narendra and Justice Alok Mehra directed that all unauthorized constructions in river and stream areas in Dehradun, particularly those without approved maps, must be halted immediately.
The government claimed during today’s hearing that a compliance report has already been submitted in accordance with court orders. A committee was earlier formed to conduct a survey, and the identified encroachments were documented.
According to the PILs filed by Ajay Narayan Sharma, Renu Pal, and Urmila Thapar, it has been alleged that massive construction activities are being carried out on submerged lands in Sahastradhara, Dehradun, which is threatening water sources and the environment. Another petition highlights rampant encroachments and illegal constructions over streams, drains, and slopes in Rishikesh. A third petition claims that nearly 100 acres of river land in Dehradun, 140 acres in Vikasnagar, 15 acres in Rishikesh, and 15 acres in Doiwala have been encroached upon.
