TEJ RAM Vs. PRATAP SINGH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THIS second appeal, preferred under Section 100 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, is directed against the judgment and decree dated 26.03.1979, passed by Civil Judge, Almora, in Civil Appeal No. 04 of 1976, whereby the judgment and decree dated 08.03.1976, passed by Munsif Pithoragarh, in Civil Suit No. 60 of 1966, is set aside, and the appeal is allowed.

(2.) HEARD learned counsel for the parties and perused the papers on record.

(3.) FACTUAL matrix of the case is that a suit No. 60 of 1966 was instituted by plaintiffs / appellants under Order I Rule 8 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, for declaration and injunction in respect of the forestland lying between the plaintiffs village Pilkhi and defendants villages Kalwe Farsola and Sartola, all three villages situated in Patti Palla Athigaon, Tehsil and District Pithoragarh. It is pleaded in the plaint that the land in question lies within the territorial boundary of village Pilkhi, which is wrongly shown now, within the traditional boundaries of village Kalwe Farsola and Sartola, by the Settlement Authorities. The plaintiffs/appellants filed their objections to this change before the Assistant Record Officer decided the case holding that in the documents 'Assi Saal and 'Chuknama, the boundary marks are not clearly visible on the spot. The plaintiffs/appellants as representatives of village Pilkhi, thereafter, filed the present suit against villagers of Kalwe Farsola and Sartola claiming old customary/easementary right of villagers of village Pilkhi over the disputed land alleging that the same lies in their traditional boundary. It is further pleaded by the plaintiffs/appellants that villagers of their village had a right to collect fuel wood, grass as fodder, water and like facilities from the land in question by way of easementary right. After the traditional boundary of the defendants/ respondents is shown extended to the land in dispute, they have started interfering into the customary/easementary right of the villagers of village Pilkhi. As such, a permanent injunction restraining the villagers into the plaintiffs right of pasturage, grazing, fuel wood and panghat etc. was sought.