IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA LPA No. 25 of 2008 Date of decision: 29.6.2010. State of H.P. & ors. ….. Appellants. Vs. Punu Ram & ors. …. Respondents. Coram The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Kurian Joseph, Chief Justice. The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Kuldip Singh, Judge. For the appellants : Mr. R.K.Bawa, Advocate General with Mr. J.K.Verma, Dy. Advocate General. For the Respondents : None. Justice Kurian Joseph, C.J. (Oral) The State has come in appeal against judgement dated 23.11.2007 in CWP No. 607 of 2000. We find that the same forms part of a common judgement in CWP No. 1358 of 2001 and connected cases. It is seen that the issue pertains to felling of trees in forest and private land. We find that the State had in fact filed appeals against connected matters and those appeals have been disposed of by judgement dated 28.5.2008 with the following findings:- “(1) There shall be no felling of any tree in any forest area in the State of Himachal Pradesh whether private or State Forest except in accordance with the orders given by the Apex Court. (2) The reports of the Committees appointed under the General Directions of the Apex Court given in its order dated 12.12.1996 require the approval of the Apex Court. (3) Report of the Committee constituted pursuant to direction No.3 in respect of specific directions given to the State has to be - 2 - complied by the State without any further orders from the apex Court. (4) The State Government is entitled either departmentally or through the State Forest Corporation to remove fallen trees or fell and remove diseased trees and dry standing timber except from areas notified under Section 18 or Section 35 of the Wild Life Protection Act or any other Act banning such felling or removal of trees. (5) The State Government or any other authority executing a project shall be entitled to remove and fell trees in case permission has been taken under the provisions of the Forest Conservation Act and other laws applicable thereto. (6) That felling of trees in all forests shall remain suspended except in accordance with the working plans of the State Government approved by the Central Government. (7) Removal of Khair trees from forest land is not permitted till clarification is obtained from the Apex Court. (8) The order of the Apex Court is applicable to forest lands only.” Therefore, this appeal is also disposed of in terms of the findings as extracted above. (Justice Kurian Joseph), Chief Justice. June 29, 2010 (Justice Kuldip Singh), (Hem) Judge.