Tuesday, August 2

HC directs the Deputy Commissioner, Hissar, to be personally present on 17.08.2016, in connection with encroachment of the Village Common Land

CHANDIGARH 02.08.2016: Justice Rakesh Jain of the Chandigarh High Court has directed the Deputy Commissioner, Hissar, to be personally present in the High Court on 17.08.206, in connection with the non-removal of the unauthorised encroachments from the village common land; despite the clear directions of the court.
The orders came after hearing Mr. Pardeep Rapria counsel for the deceased Petitioner Beer Singh of village Majara of Hissar District. Mr. Pardeep Rapria counsel for the Petitioner informed the court that the old aged Petitioner, a retired teacher had recently expired after struggling for more than 17 years to get removed the illegal encroachments from the panchayat land specifically reserved for common benefits of the villagers.  In fact, some villagers had encroached upon the panchayat land in the year 2002. On the rigorous follow-up the Assistant Collector, Naranaund, in the year 2004 directed the demolition of the houses illegally constructed on the panchayat land. However, despite the clear directions of the Assistant Collector the encroachers continued on the panchayat land and some encroachers even managed to get registered the land in their name by paying the market value of the same. The old aged retired teacher continued his crusade against the illegal encroachments and on the failure of the administration to evicted the encroachers, in the year 2011 through his counsel Pardeep Rapria knocked the doors of the High Court and in the year 2013 the High Court directed the Deputy Commissioner, Hissar and BDPO, Narnaund to remove more than 150 encroachers of the panchayat land encroachments from the village common land.  However, when despite the High Court directions the encroachments could not be removed; the Petitioner again in the year 2015 had to approach the High Court. On 19.11.2015 the High Court issued notices to Sh. Chander Shekhar Khare and Sh. M.L. Kaushik,  who remained posted as Deputy Commissioner; at the relevant time and Sombir Kadiyan  and Rajender Panwar, who remained posted as BDPO, Narnaund at the relevant time, to explain by 28.01.2016 as to why action should not be taken against thme for committing the contempt of court. In their reply before the High Court the court was informed that more than 60% encroachment had been removed and photographs were also attached in support of reply.

During the hearing on 02.08.2016 Mr. Rapria placed on record certain photographs and submitted that ‘the officers only demolished the outer boundary of the illegally constructed houses and captured the view in such a way so as to reflect that the houses had been demolished.’ The court took serious view of the matter and noted that ‘the court had directed the Deputy Commissioner in the year 2013 to remove the encroachments within two months, but even after lapse of three years the orders remains to be implemented; which is clearly a Contempt of Court. Therefore, the Deputy Commissioner Hissar shall remain personally present on 17.08.2016 with detailed report in the matter’

No comments:

Post a Comment