Elephant Protection Wall Stalled in Uttarakhand, Records Missing Before 1960

March 23, 2026

Dehradun: The plan to build a 1,402-meter-long wall from Simbalkhal to SIDCUL in the Laldhang Range to protect against elephants has been stuck on paper. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had ordered the completion of the wall by 2024, but due to discrepancies in the records of the Forest Department and the Revenue Department, it is still unclear who the actual owner of the land is.

Records Prior to 1960 Unfound

When the NGT directed the search for the true owner of the land, a shocking revelation was made. The Forest Department told the NGT that every effort was made to locate revenue maps and records prior to 1960, but no relevant documents were found in government archives.

In this regard, Divisional Forest Officer (Kotdwar) Jeevan Dagade filed an affidavit with the NGT, stating that correspondence was made with the Revenue Council, Dehradun, and the District Land Records Office, Pauri, but the old settlement maps and land records could not be obtained.

Dispute deepens between departments

The matter has been raised at a high level, and the Divisional Forest Officer has been directed to coordinate with the Garhwal Commissioner to find an administrative solution.

This issue came to light after a petition filed by Mohan Chandra Sati. The NGT had ordered the construction of a wall to prevent elephant attacks in the area on November 19, 2024, to be expedited.

Indeed, the Forest Department considers this land to be a reserved forest area of ​​the Laldhang Range, while current revenue records indicate it as submerged village land. Until the actual ownership of the land is clarified from old records, it remains difficult to begin work on this multi-crore rupee project.

Work on an Alternative Plan

Due to the dispute, the Forest Department has also prepared an alternative plan. If the land dispute is not resolved, the department will work on building an elephant-proof ditch and solar fencing within the forest land. A separate proposal has been prepared for this.

Currently, 15 camera traps have been installed in the area for security purposes, monitoring elephant movements.