Haridwar, April 10 -- Authorities have begun removing illegal encroachments in and around the Chandi Devi Temple area, particularly along the footpath leading to the hilltop shrine, in a move aimed at improving safety and crowd management following stampede in July last year at the nearby Mansa Devi Temple that claimed nine lives. Officials from the Uttarakhand Forest Department said the anti-encroachment drive has been underway for the past two days, during which teams have been demolishing illegal structures, including temporary and semi-temporary shops, along the pedestrian route to the temple and nearby areas. Sub-divisional officer Haridwar forest department Poonam Kainthola said the department has intensified monitoring and enforcement in religious and pilgrimage areas to prevent unauthorised constructions on forest and government land. "Department teams are conducting regular monitoring and anti-encroachment drives at religious and pilgrimage sites. Illegal structures or encroachments of any type on government land will not be tolerated," Kainthola said. She added that strict action will be taken against repeat offenders. "If violators continue to encroach upon government land, stern legal action will be taken against them," the sub-divisional officer said....