By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 25 Dec: The controversial case involving the disappearance of 7,375 boundary pillars in the Mussoorie Forest Division has now reached the Uttarakhand High Court. The court has taken a stern view in this case and has issued notices to several central and state authorities. The matter pertains to the allegedly missing forest boundary demarcation pillars in Mussoorie Forest Division. This was initially flagged by senior IFS office Sanjeev Chaturvedi, who had also raised questions in respect of allegedly abnormal increase in personal assets of certain forest officials deputed in that division. When the case was first flagged by Chaturvedi and it was published by a small section of the media including Garhwal Post, the then DFO Mussoorie and other senior officials had claimed that the flagging had been done on the basis of conjectures and they had also claimed that none of the pillars were actually missing but probably hidden below the tall bushes in the forest division. The High Court has now directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), the Union Government and the Uttarakhand Government to file their responses.
The issue had earlier attracted the Centre’s attention following a report by IFS officer Sanjeev Chaturvedi, prompting a quick response from the Union Government in September 2025. Garhwal Post had also published a report in this case of 7,375 boundary pillars missing in Mussoorie, where it was also stated that the Centre had taken note of Chaturvedi’s report. Later, Neelima Shah, Assistant Director General in the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, also wrote to the Uttarakhand Government seeking a detailed report on the missing pillars. However, since then pretty little happened in the case and several senior forest officers of the state tried to downplay the Chaturvedi report by claiming that it was not true that these pillars were missing but probably had not been spotted because of being hidden below or behind the bushes which had grown dense and taller since the pillars had been put up.
Now the case has come up for hearing before a Division Bench of the Nainital High Court headed by Justice Manoj Tiwari. The bench has issued notices not only to the CBI, the Centre and the State Government but also to the Survey of India and the Supreme Court’s Central Empowered Committee in this regard. The Court observed that the disappearance of forest boundary pillars on such a massive scale constituted an extremely serious issue that could not be taken lightly. These strong remarks have caused considerable unease among several officials. Hearing the matter yesterday, the High Court directed all the parties concerned to file their replies by way of affidavits within six weeks. The next hearing has been scheduled for 11 February 2026. During the proceedings, the Court also expressed deep displeasure over the large number of missing pillars. The case came up in the High Court on the basis of a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by environmental activist Naresh Chaudhary. The petition seeks directions for a scientific and geo-referenced survey of all forest areas under the Mussoorie Forest Division to ascertain the status of the missing boundary pillars and ensure their reinstallation within a fixed timeframe. It also calls for implementing rehabilitation and environmental restoration plans in the affected areas, besides urging the transfer of forest land currently under revenue officials back to the Forest Department within a stipulated period.
Yesterday, the Nainital High Court issued notices to the CBI, the Union Government, and the State Government, asking them to place their responses on record. It may be recalled that it was in the year 2023, when then Chief Conservator of Forests Sanjeev Chaturvedi had ordered a physical verification of all boundary pillars in the Mussoorie Forest Division during the preparation of a new working plan. A report by the Divisional Forest Officer, Mussoorie, revealed that out of 12,321 boundary pillars, as many as 7,375 were completely missing on the ground.
The investigation showed that nearly 80 per cent of the missing pillars were in the Mussoorie range and the Rajpur range, both areas which have witnessed rapid real estate development with hotels, resorts, and residential projects. Chief Conservator of Forests, Working Plan, Sanjeev Chaturvedi had noted in his report that details of the missing pillars had been submitted to the department two months earlier. The breakdown included 62 pillars from Bhadrigarh, 944 from Jaunpur, 296 from Devalsari, 218 from Kempty, 4,133 from the Mussoorie area, and 1,722 from the Raipur area. This information formed part of a 300-page investigation report sent to the Centre, which elicited a response describing the matter as extremely serious and directing action against the guilty.
In June and then again in August 2025, Chaturvedi wrote to the PCCF and HoFF Uttarakhand, demanding a probe by the CBI and the Enforcement Directorate, while referencing investigations into substantial immovable properties allegedly acquired by concerned forest officials. In August 2025, the regional office of the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change also wrote to the Uttarakhand Government seeking investigation and action on violations of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980.
Meanwhile, the Head of Forest Force constituted a new committee to re-examine the case, but the petition alleges this could downplay facts and tamper with evidence, noting that some committee members have faced past controversies. It further argues that since the figure of 7,375 missing pillars was accepted by the State Advisory Committee and the working plan received final approval from the Union Government in November 2025, reopening the process would violate rules and create procedural irregularities.
Boundary pillars, known as munare, are physical markers made of cement, sand, and stone that delineate forest land boundaries, preventing construction, encroachment, or unauthorised development from that point onwards. They play a crucial role in safeguarding forest land from illegal occupation. It is alleged that the hotels, resorts and other commercial or residential properties often remove the pillars and then illegally extend the boundaries of their personal properties on a regular basis, thus encroaching forest land. It is also alleged that the forest officials often deliberately look the other way for reasons best known to them only. It may also be noted here that Sanjeev Chaturvedi has a proven track record of flagging various kinds of irregularities whether in the state or at the Centre level during his deputation. In Uttarakhand, since his return to his home cadre, he has never been posted on a high profile post or important field positions for reasons best known to the top forest officers of the state forest department and the state government.
