Shimla, Mar 26 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi on Wednesday said in the state assembly that the encroachers being removed from forest lands following the orders of the High Court would have to approach the Supreme Court for relief.

Replying to MLA Sanjay Rattan (Congress) who pointed out that the High Court has ordered vacation of encroachment on forest lands by March 31, Negi said that the state government can't go against the orders of the High Court but can frame a policy in this regard.

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The persons affected by the High Court orders can take advantage of the Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006, he said and added that the government would organise workshops to educate the people regarding the provisions of the Act.

There is a provision of regularising the encroachments on the forest lands under the FRA and even the forest dwellers can also take its benefit, he said, adding that a resolution passed by the state Assembly seeking amendments in the Forest Conservation Act 1980 was sent to Union government last year and several matters regarding relaxation in the Act are pending.

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He said that according to the forms filled by the "encroachers" during the previous BJP government, the total number of such people was 1.63 lakh.

Sanjay Rattan said that 80 per cent of land in Kundan Tehsil in his Jwalamukhi Assembly constituency was forest land and some influential people have gone to the Supreme Court and got relief, but the houses of the poor people living in these areas for more than three generations are being demolished.

He urged the government to exercise its discretion and stop the eviction proceedings till the matter is decided by the Supreme Court.

Earlier replying to a question from Satpal Singh Satti and Surinder Shourie of the BJP, Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri said that all persons eligible for jobs on compassionate grounds would be provided jobs in one go.

The cabinet sub-committee set up for giving jobs on compassionate grounds would submit its report to the Cabinet in 15 days and the matter is at the final stage, he said.

He said that 1,839 cases for jobs on compassionate grounds were pending as on October 31, 2024, and as per the directions issued by the previous BJP government regarding eligibility for jobs on compensate grounds, 2524 cases were rejected by different departments.

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