In a public interest litigation seeking enquiry into the official tour of South Africa conducted by the state forest department in the past, the high court of Uttarakhand has imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 for the Government failing to submit its reply to the court in the case. The high court has directed the government to submit its reply, while also directing the petitioner to file his counter reply by June 12. According to the case details, Delhi resident Jai Prakash Dabral had filed a public interest litigation in the high court of Uttarakhand stating that during the tenure of Narayan Datt Tiwari as the chief minister of Uttarakhand, the then forest minister Navprabhat, the then MlA Shailendra Mohan, then chief conservator of forests DVS Khati, the then director of Rajaji national park GS Pandey and a hotel owner Mukund Prasand among others had gone with their families on a tour of South Africa purportedly with the aim of development of eco-tourism in the State. This ‘official’ tour cost the government Rs 20 lakh. This issue had also been raised by the then MlA of Salt constituency, Surendra Singh Negi in the Vidhan Sabha during 2012. During the hearing on the petition in the past, the Government had been directed by the court to submit its reply but a reply has not been filed on behalf of the government. The petition was heard by the High Court division bench comprising justices Rajiv Sharma and UC Dhyani.