Himachal High Court maintains stay on termination of 900 horticulture project employees
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The Himachal Pradesh High Court has upheld the ban on the termination of approximately 900 employees from the Horticulture Department’s Horticulture Development Project.
Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua, presiding over a single bench, has scheduled the next hearing for November 25, seeking clarity on the future of these employees who have worked in the department for up to eight years.
In response to concerns that were raised, the high court has summoned a detailed report from the state government.
The Horticulture Department informed the court that the employees’ contracts expired on October 31, asserting that they cannot be retained in their posts. However, the petitioner’s advocate argued that these employees, appointed after 2016, have been serving on these posts for several years. The advocate highlighted that while Rs 40 crore remains unspent under the project, new recruitments are underway to fill these very roles, despite the claim that the project period has ended.
Funded by the World Bank, this project has left questions about its utilisation and future employment prospects.
The court emphasised that in the upcoming hearing, the government and the department should provide a comprehensive report.
Notably, the government had submitted an application to lift the stay on terminating these employees, but the judge maintained the stay and confirmed the November 25 hearing date.
In a related case, the Himachal Pradesh High Court reviewed issues surrounding the Local Area Development Authority (LADA) funds in the state’s power projects. The government appealed a single-bench decision, bringing the matter to a double bench and arguing that power companies have not been contributing the mandated one percent of capital costs under LADA.
Senior advocate P Chidambaram represented the company, defending against these claims. The high court has scheduled the next hearing on this matter for December 2.
These cases underscore the complexities of employment and funding in state-managed projects and raise questions about project continuity, resource allocation, and the responsibilities of companies operating in Himachal Pradesh.
