The Uttarakhand High Court has stayed an administrative directive that restricted summer paddy cultivation in Udham Singh Nagar district, allowing farmers to continue their agricultural activities until further orders. The interim relief was granted by Justice Pankaj Purohit while hearing a petition filed by farmers from Gadarpur tehsil.
The case arose from a February 4 order issued by the district magistrate of Udham Singh Nagar, directing sub-district magistrates to destroy unauthorised summer paddy nurseries and permit cultivation only in waterlogged areas. The move had effectively limited paddy farming to select zones, raising concerns among local farmers.
In their petition before the High Court, farmers contended that their agricultural lands are spread across different regions, many of which are not classified as waterlogged. They argued that the district administration’s directive lacked any legal backing and infringed upon their rights to carry out agricultural activities.
After considering the submissions, the High Court stayed the operation of the administrative order for the time being. The court directed that farmers be allowed to prepare summer paddy nurseries and continue cultivation until the next date of hearing.
The matter is now listed for further hearing on March 23, when the court will examine the legality of the district administration’s order in detail.
