Shimla, Mar 25 (UNI) Shimla Municipal Corporation (SMC) officials demolished about 50 huts constructed in forest area of the town today, resuming its campaign of removing encroachments from the government land.

Corporation officials, accompanied by police personnel, began removing huts from encroached forest area in Kaithu area of the state capital early morning today, demolishing about 50 huts by evening.

SMC is removing huts from forest area of the town following directions from the HP High Court in November when 150 huts were demolished near Portmore Girls Senior Secondary School area of the town.

However, the Supreme Court stayed the demolition process till February 18 after people approached it in December last year.

SMC and police sources told UNI here that they faced no opposition from the people residing in these huts and they quietly left the place with belongings after the demolition squads arrived there.

Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh had already said that no encroachments on forest areas would be regularized, while two bighas of land would be provided to the landless people of the state.

A senior SMC official, on condition of anonymity, told UNI here that the campaign for removing huts would continue till the forest area in Shimla was cleared of the encroachments.

UNI AS DP DKS BD1933