The revenue returns to the government from a total of 10 eco-tourism sites, including a premium camping site at Shoghi — marketed as Aamod Resort — has been Rs 28.59 lakh during the last three years. The amount is quite less when compared to the damage caused to the forest.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with private promoters either has a clause empowering the government to terminate the agreement on grounds of forest law violations or the forest area allotted for eco-tourism activities. Thus, the promoters, during the last three years had enjoyed full freedom to encroach forest land, build structures, run bars and open restaurants.

In some documents, which Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has tabled in the state Assembly in response to Congress MLA Kuldeep Pathania’s question in this regard, shows Nagpur-based promoter Gaurav Jain — who was allotted a eco-tourism site at Kangra — had built pucca structures and exceeded the project area at another site in Chamba district’s Ala. “After demarcation, the project area was restricted upto one hectare. Initially, permission was given for a tent site but later, only mud cottage was allowed on the site,” the government’s reply in the House stated. A condition in the MoU had stated that the promoter will take full environment safeguards.

At another site, which has emerged as a profitable and popular venture at Shoghi during summers, the same promoter — despite having been given permission for tents — had built structures in the area belonging to the forest department.

“It was only after the Congress raised the issue in the Assembly that the forest department woke up to the violations and undertook demarcations of the allotted one-hectare site. No action has been taken for other violations and no penalty has been imposed. The kind of violations the promoters had committed calls for scrapping of the allotment, but there is no such clause in the MoU. This shows how the sites were sold by the government to enable people to make huge profits,” alleged Pathania, also the chief spokesman of PCC.

In all, 10 eco-tourism projects were sanctioned by the government to private promoters. There have been no report of violations at Motikuna hill top (Sanawar), Chewa and Barog — all in Solan district. Sonu Bungalow — a camping site in Shimla — was allotted to Joginder Kanwar but the locals objected and the project has now run into litigation in the high court.