The Punjab and Haryana High Court has strongly criticized the Haryana Government for its failure to notify Morni Hills as a reserved forest, despite initiating the process four decades ago. A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sumeet Goel directed the state to complete the notification process by December 31, 2025, calling the delay a "classic administrative lethargy."

The Court was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Vijay Bansal, highlighting the plight of traditional forest dwellers in Morni Hills who have been ignored despite falling under the definition of forest dwellers. The bench noted that the state had issued a notification under Section 4 of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, on December 18, 1987, but no concrete steps were taken thereafter.

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"To permit nearly four decades to elapse without any discernible, substantive action flowing from a statutory declaration is, to put it mildly, an affront to the principles of effective governance," the Court observed.

The State argued that demarcation was the responsibility of revenue authorities, not the Forest Settlement Officer (FSO). However, the Court rejected this claim, citing Section 8 of the Indian Forest Act, which empowers the FSO to conduct surveys, demarcation, and prepare maps. The bench emphasized that the FSO must take over all pending tasks, including ground verification, to expedite the process.

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The Court also underscored the constitutional duty of the state under Article 48-A to protect forests and wildlife, linking it to the fundamental right to a healthy environment under Article 21.

"The supine inaction of the State constitutes an outrageous affront to Article 21," the bench stated.

To ensure compliance, the Court issued a writ of mandamus, directing the FSO to submit a report and the state to issue the final notification under Section 20 of the Indian Forest Act by the year-end. The bench also ordered a continued ban on non-forest activities in Morni Hills until the process is completed.

The Forest Secretary, Haryana, was instructed to file a compliance affidavit within seven months, failing which punitive action may follow. The case will be reviewed in January 2026.

Title: Vijay Bansal v. State of Haryana and others