Taking up an application submitted by the army, the High Court of Uttarakhand has made a partial amendment to its earlier order to allow the army to stay at night in the bugyals (high altitude alpine meadows) and patrol the areas. However, the court has stressed that full care should be taken to ensure cleanliness of the bugyals and the shelters should be temporary in nature.
The army had submitted an appeal to the division bench of acting chief justice Rajiv Sharma and justice Lokpal Singh stating that following the earlier orders of the court in a PIL banning night stay in the bugyals, the administration had barred the army from patrolling in the bugyals and adjoining border areas. Considering the security aspect on the basis of the appeal filed by the army, the division bench made a partial amendment in its earlier order.
The matter will be taken up for hearing next on September 24.