Himachal Pradesh News
Himachal to Probe Illegal Helipads Built on Forest Land, Says Revenue Minister
Himachal Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi says the state will investigate helipads allegedly built on forestland without mandatory FCA clearance, including 16 in Seraj, Mandi. He accuses the previous government of violations and the Centre of neglecting disaster relief. The state also flags 55 roads lacking clearances.
Revenue, Horticulture and Tribal Development Minister Jagat Singh Negi on Tuesday announced that the Himachal Pradesh government will investigate helipads allegedly built on forestland without mandatory Forest Conservation Act (FCA) clearance. This includes 16 helipads constructed in the Seraj area of Mandi district during the previous BJP administration. He said strict legal action would be taken if violations are confirmed.
Speaking to the media while supervising preparations for the Jan Sankalp Sammelan scheduled for December 11 at Paddal Ground, Negi described the upcoming event as “historic” and accused the BJP of trying to politicise it. He said the government had made extensive arrangements for the rally, where new welfare schemes under the “Atmanirbhar Himachal” initiative are expected to be announced.
In a sharp criticism of the Opposition, Negi said the state had endured “two kinds of disasters — one natural and the other political.” He alleged that the BJP attempted to destabilise the democratically elected government through the misuse of money power. Despite Himachal suffering severe damage from natural calamities in 2023, 2024 and 2025, he claimed the Centre failed to release adequate relief funds.
Negi stressed that the state was seeking its rightful dues from the Union government, “not charity,” while accusing the Centre of favouring BJP-ruled states. He further criticised the previous state government for leaving behind a debt of ₹75,000 crore and spending crores on projects that brought “no public benefit” during its “Mission Repeat” campaign.
He also said that the ₹1,500-crore disaster relief package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Dharamsala had not been fully disbursed, and that many affected families had yet to receive compensation. No special relief package, he added, had been approved for the 2023 disaster.
On the issue of illegal encroachment, Negi confirmed that, besides the 16 helipads in Seraj, 55 roads constructed without Forest Rights Act (FRA) clearances were also under investigation. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enforcing environmental laws and ensuring accountability in every case.
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