Chandigarh, March 24 -- The Punjab and Haryana high court has categorically told Vasvi Tyagi, secretary of Haryana forest and wildlife department, to ensure that work on demarcation exercise for Morni Hills area is commenced by April 16. "We make it clear that we had passed final order in this case on June 20, 2025, and it is now nine months, but the work on survey, demarcation etc, has not yet started. If the work on survey, demarcation and settlement of rights does not start latest by April 16, this court will frame charges of contempt (against her)," the bench of chief justice Sheel Nagu and justice Sumeet Goel said while fixing next date of hearing on April 18. The court was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed in 2017 by Vijay Bansal, a Panchkula resident, who had demanded settlement of the Morni Hills area as prescribed under the Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887. The area was formerly a part of Sirmaur district in Himachal Pradesh and became a part of Haryana in 1966. In December 1987, the government issued a notification on reserved forest area. However, the process of demarcation has not been completed even now. The government has been facing allegations of dilly-dallying on settlement exercise. In June 2025, the high court had given the Haryana government time till December 31 to identify and notify reserved forest areas in Morni Hills. However, the government has failed to commence the exercise even now. The forest settlement officer appointed for the purpose has levelled allegations before the court that inadequate, untrained staff was provided to him and further requisite facilities for the purpose of work to be undertaken, are not being provided by the government. The PIL alleges the demarcation process has been pending since 1987, which has threatened the ecological system of this area from Panchkula to Kala Amb in Himachal....