Highway Authority Reverses Stance, Agrees to Compensation for Orchard Damage in Shimla

After initially attributing landslide damage in Shimla to an 'act of god', the National Highways Authority of India has agreed to compensate orchard owner Narinder Singh Rathore with Rs 1.80 crore for loss of land and apple trees. Rathore has since withdrawn his case in the National Green Tribunal.

In a significant turn of events, the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has agreed to provide Rs 1.80 crore in compensation to Narinder Singh Rathore, whose apple orchard was devastated by landslides near Dhalli in Shimla. This comes after the authority initially dismissed the damages as an 'act of god'.

Rathore had filed a case with the National Green Tribunal, claiming substantial losses to both his land and approximately 440 apple trees, largely due to NHAI's four-lane project. Subsequent evaluations by the public works and horticulture departments led to the NHAI reversing its position, offering adequate compensation and planning to purchase the severely damaged land.

Despite NHAI's initial challenge to the extent of damages, independent assessments validated the claims, highlighting the region's excessive rainfall as a factor but acknowledging that the construction project had exacerbated conditions, ultimately leading to the altered agreement.