Himachal maps 1.24 Lakh land encroachments; Policy on hold
Old photo. Used for indicative purpose only
Shimla, Dec 4,
In a disclosure before the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha, the state government has revealed that around 1,24,780 families are encroaching on government and forest land across the state. Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, responding to a written query, said the figures were originally compiled for submission to the High Court on August 5, 2025, as part of a statewide verification exercise ordered by the court.
Negi clarified that the issue has since moved to the Supreme Court after the state government filed a special leave petition challenging aspects of the High Court’s directives. As the matter is now sub judice, he said, the government cannot frame any rehabilitation or protection policy for encroaching families until the apex court provides further instructions. This legal status has effectively paused administrative decision-making on one of the state’s most contentious land issues, leaving thousands of families in a state of uncertainty.
According to the district-wise data placed before the Assembly, Kangra accounts for the highest number of encroachments with 37,956 families, followed by Shimla (22,092) and Mandi (20,617). The numbers remain substantial in several other districts as well, including Una with 10,365 cases, Hamirpur with 8,998, Chamba with 8,992, Bilaspur with 7,212, Kinnaur with 4,767, and Kullu with 3,228. In contrast, Sirmaur reported 483 encroachments, Solan only 70, and Lahaul–Spiti reported none, marking a rare exception in the statewide pattern.
The sheer volume of encroachments reveals the complex relationship between habitation, land availability, and regulation in a hill state with limited cultivable and residential terrain. Many of these occupations have persisted for decades, often intertwined with traditional usage claims, unclear demarcations, or disputes over forest boundaries. The minister noted that the verification exercise, conducted under court orders, was aimed at establishing a factual baseline rather than determining eligibility for regularisation or eviction. For now, the state government has reiterated its position that it will wait for the Supreme Court’s ruling before initiating any action or drafting a policy that could impact more than a lakh households.
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