Uttarakhand: The Leader of the Opposition wrote a letter to CM Dhami, urging him to convene a special session of the Legislative Assembly
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Leader of the Opposition Yashpal Arya has written to Chief Minister Dhami, urging him to convene a special session of the Legislative Assembly to discuss the interests and rights of families living on forest land.
Arya stated that the issue of Pashulok in Rishikesh arose from a High Court directive. He argued that it is not possible to comprehensively discuss the rights of the state’s residents under the Forest Rights Act, 2006, the leases of forest lands, and the plight of people who have been living on forest lands for generations in any court. A comprehensive discussion regarding the people living on forest land, their rights, and their difficulties can only take place in the state’s Legislative Assembly. Such cases exist in every assembly constituency of the state. Protecting the people of the state from displacement is also a primary duty of the government.
On December 22, 2025, the Supreme Court issued strict directives regarding 2866 acres of land in Pashulok and adjoining areas of Rishikesh. The court directed the Chief Secretary and the Chief Conservator of Forests to form an inquiry committee to investigate the forest land. This land was leased by the Forest Department to Mira Behn in 1952. She started the work of animal husbandry on this land through the Pashulok Seva Samiti. Government establishments like AIIMS Rishikesh, IDPL, and Pashulok are built on this land, and a large number of Tehri displaced persons have also been rehabilitated on this land.
The Bagjala village in the Gaulapar area has been settled on forest land for more than 100 years. Thousands of people in the Damuwadhunga area of Haldwani have been living on forest land for generations. Bindukhatta in the Bhabar region of Nainital district has been settled on forest land for more than 200 years. He urged the state government to convene a special session of the Legislative Assembly to discuss the interests and rights of people living on forest land.
