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United News of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- United News of India
HP court orders attachment of govt property in over 27-yr-old land compensation case
Shimla, June 12 (UNI) Highlighting prolonged government inaction, the district judge (forest) Ajay Mehta has directed the attachment of key government properties, including the PWD rest house at Tara Devi, two official vehicles from the PWD headquarters, furniture, computers, and heaters, over non-payment of land compensation to farmers for the past 27 years. The case pertains to land acquired in 1998 by the Public Works Department (PWD) Rohru division for the construction of the Baidhar-Thana-Tikkar road. Approximately 15 bighas were acquired, including apple orchards, and the land acquisition officer had initially assessed compensation at Rs. 6,252 per apple plant. Unsatisfied with the award, landowners from Tikka -- Diwan Chand, Bhajan Das, Inder Singh, Narain Chand, Bahadur Singh, Nihal Chand, Jagdish, Mohan Chand, Jai Krishan, and Rameshwar -- moved court in 2012. In 2017, the additional district and sessions judge ordered an enhanced compensation of Rs 26,575 per plant. However, the state failed to implement the order or deposit Rs 2.5 crore compensation, prompting the petitioners to file an execution petition in 2020. The court noted that despite three prior orders to attach government property, no action was taken to disburse the compensation. It further observed that both the secretary (PWD secretariat) and the Land Acquisition Officer (Winter Field, Shimla) failed to cooperate with court proceedings. While the state government has now sought an additional four months to deposit the dues, the next hearing has been scheduled for June 18. The court has made it clear that the attachment orders will remain in force until then. In a related matter, a single bench of Justice Ajay Mohan Goel of the Himachal Pradesh High Court recently ordered the attachment of Himachal Bhavan and 18 properties of HPTDC over unpaid arbitration awards and pending dues of retired employees, reflecting a broader trend of judicial strictness over financial defaults by the state. UNI ML PRS
News18
01-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
35 Killed, 6 Kidnapped, 1 Released: 27 Years Ago, Himachal Witnessed Its Own 'Pahalgam'
Last Updated: According to reports, armed terrorists from Hizbul Mujahideen gunned down 35 Hindu labourers in cold blood - 9 in Satrundi and 26 in Kalaban. The recent terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Kashmir, has stirred painful memories of the brutal massacre that shook Himachal Pradesh's Chamba district nearly three decades ago. It was on the night of August 2, 1998, when the remote villages of Satrundi and Kalaban, located near the Sach Pass on the Himachal-Kashmir border, were engulfed in terror. Armed terrorsits from Hizbul Mujahideen stormed the labour camps where workers, primarily Hindus, were engaged in road construction. Under the cover of darkness, they launched a coordinated and deadly terror attack. According to official records and eyewitness accounts, the terrorists gunned down 35 Hindu labourers in cold blood – 9 in Satrundi and 26 in Kalaban. The workers, who had been toiling away on the region's ambitious infrastructure project, lived in temporary tents and were largely unprotected. In addition to the massacre, six workers were taken hostage. Of these, only one – a Muslim labourer – was reportedly released. The fate of the remaining captives remains unknown to this day. The victims included Santram, Diwan Chand, Maan Singh, Sher Singh, and Mir Singh, all residents of Bairaajgarh. Their families, along with the entire region, have spent 27 years waiting for answers that never came. The incident led to a massive security overhaul in the region. The Home Ministry officially recognised the killings as a terrorist attack, prompting a long-term deployment of central security forces and a joint investigation by the Himachal Pradesh Police and central agencies. In 2014, a martyr's memorial was erected at the site of the massacre to commemorate the lives lost and to serve as a grim reminder of the horrors of that night. Now, with the wounds of Pahalgam terrorist attack still fresh, the specter of cross-border terrorism looms once again over the peaceful hills of Himachal. Chamba, which shares a porous border with Jammu and Kashmir, has seen a marked increase in security measures in recent days. Speaking to News18, Superintendent of Police Abhishek Yadav confirmed that border vigilance has been intensified across all sensitive points, including Tunu Haddi, Langera, and Kheri. All vehicles entering Chamba district from the direction of Jammu and Kashmir are being thoroughly checked, he said. Locals, too, are wary. Many residents, especially during the ongoing Minjar fair – a time when a significant number of visitors arrive from Kashmir – are calling for heightened surveillance and preventive action. 'This is not the first time our peace has been shattered," said a local elder from Chamba. We remember 1998 all too well. We lost our sons, and we never saw some of them again. The government must ensure that such a tragedy is never repeated, he added. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from politics to crime and society. Stay informed with the latest India news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! First Published: May 01, 2025, 12:33 IST
