Shimla, July 26 -- Himachal Pradesh high court, taking strict note of inordinate delay in construction of the north campus of Central University Himachal Pradesh (CUHP) in Dharamsala, has warned that the state education secretary will have to appear in person if the government fails to provide a definite timeline for depositing the long-pending Rs.30.03 crore required for the construction. "..If the required action is not completed before the next hearing on September 7, the education secretary must remain personally present before the court," ruled the division bench comprising chief justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia and justice Bipin Chander Negi during the hearing on July 22, while observing that a proposal seeking Rs.30.03 crore had been submitted to the planning department on July 21, but it was returned to the education department after certain queries were raised, which are yet to be addressed. The HC made these observations during hearing of the public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Atul Bhardwaj, who highlighted the prolonged delay in establishing the Central University's Dharamshala campus. The petitioner pointed out that the project has remained stalled for more than a decade despite plans to develop two campuses in Kangra district-one at Dehra and the other at Dharamshala. The bench pointed out that despite repeated directions, the amount sought under Section 2(ii) of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, has not yet been released. Even the earlier HC order dated June 2 has not been complied with. The HC observed that despite repeated directions, the Rs.30.03 crore required under Section 2(ii) of the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, has still not been released for the construction of the Central University's North Campus at Dharamshala. The court noted that while the state government submitted a proposal seeking the funds to the planning department on July 21, it was returned to the education department after certain queries were raised, which remain unresolved. The petitioner informed the court that the demand for the funds had originally been raised on July 26, 2023, nearly three years ago. The state government had acknowledged that the amount is payable and stated that the proposal had been forwarded to the finance and planning departments for the release of additional funds towards the net present value (NPV), compensatory afforestation, and a 5% contingency component under the compensatory afforestation scheme. The HC had earlier directed the state government to file an affidavit specifying a definite timeline for depositing the pending Rs.30.03 crore if the amount had not already been paid....