PIL seeking adequate facilities at cremation grounds
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Aug 31: In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking improvement of infrastructural facilities at all the cremation grounds in Jammu, Division Bench of High Court comprising Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Vinod Chatterji Koul today imposed cost of Rs 10000 on the Jammu Municipal Corporation for not filing reply.
When the PIL came-up for hearing, DB observed, “notice was accepted in this matter as back as on 17th February 2020 when time was taken by Senior AAG S S Nanda to file reply”, adding “more than six months have passed without filing reply and petitioner has raised serious issue with regard to pathetic state of the infrastructure and condition of the cremation grounds in Jammu”.
“A judicial notice can be taken on deplorable state in which the cremation grounds exist and it is today stated that copy of the petition is not available with counsel for the respondents”, the DB further observed, adding “this is completely unacceptable as such Advocate Sumit Nayyar is directed to serve another copy upon counsel for the respondents within two days from today”.
The DB further directed that reply shall be positively filed within four weeks from today subject to payment of costs of Rs 10,000 which shall be deposited with the Advocates’ Welfare Fund within one week. “A copy of this order shall be served upon the Commissioner JMC for preparation of action plan with timeline be drawn up for improving the condition of cremation grounds”, the DB said.
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