New Delhi, Dec. 23 -- The Supreme Court on Monday deprecated the Uttarakhand government for allowing large-scale encroachment of forest land in Rishikesh, calling it "shocking" that the state had failed to reclaim thousands of acres despite the withdrawal of an earlier land allotment at least four decades ago.

A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and justice Joymalya Bagchi initiated suo motu proceedings after noting that over 2,800 acres of forest land, which reverted to the forest department in 1984, continued to remain under occupation of private parties.

"What is shocking is that the Uttarakhand government is a silent spectator when thousands of acres of forest land is sought to be encroached," said the bench, asking: "What ...