Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 12: Taking cognizance of the illegal buildings in Jammu city, Division Bench of High Court comprising Chief Justice M M Kumar and Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur today issued notice to Chief Secretary, Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department, Jammu Municipal Corporation and Jammu Development Authority seeking details of such structures within a period of four weeks.
The cognizance of illegal buildings was taken by the Division Bench while treating a letter written by a social activist namely Amit Dalia as Public Interest Litigation. Through the letter, the social activist drew the attention of the High Court towards illegal constructions in Jammu city and the statement made on the floor of Legislature by Urban Development Minister mentioning that 166 cases have been registered for illegal constructions for the year 2013-14.
After going through letter turned PIL, Division Bench issued notice to Chief Secretary, Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department, Jammu Municipal Corporation through its Commissioner and Jammu Development Authority through its Vice Chairman with the direction to furnish the details of illegal constructions in respect of all the buildings without confining the data to the year 2013-14.
“The Municipal Corporation as well as Jammu Development Authority shall furnish within four weeks the details with regard to the buildings which have been constructed in violations of the Master Plan, without any sanction to the site plans, buildings which have been built on public land or which have been constructed in the lanes/by-lanes left for the public utility”, the DB directed, adding “the respondents shall also point out as to what action has been initiated against the violators and what steps have been taken to confront the illegal construction in brazen disregard to the orders already issued”.
The Division Bench also appointed Senior Advocate R K Gupta with Advocate Prem Sadotra to assist the Court in these proceedings. The DB also restrained other courts, forum or quasi judicial authority from entertaining and deciding any matter regarding illegal buildings and directed the Registry to list the PIL on March 18, 2014.
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