U'khand govt forms committee at court order in Rishikesh land lease case

Rishikesh, Dec 24 (PTI) The Uttarakhand government has constituted an inquiry committee in compliance with the Supreme Court's order regarding the leasing of 2,866 acres of government forest land in Rishikesh, a top government official said on Wednesday.

Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Anand Vardhan said that the Supreme Court had ordered the government to submit a report by January 5 in connection with the lease of land by the Forest department to the Pashulok Seva Samiti in Rishikesh and the subsequent court case.

He said that in compliance with the court order, a five-member inquiry committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of the Chief Conservator of Forests, Garhwal Mandal.

On December 22, the apex court ordered the chief secretary and the principal chief conservator of forests to conduct an inquiry into the matter.

The court had also directed a strict ban on construction on the said government land until further orders. PTI DPT VN VN