Remove encroachments, or appear in court: HC pulls up Mandi SDM

Kullu: The Himachal Pradesh high court has reprimanded Mandi (Sadar) sub-divisional officer (SDM) for failing to act against illegal accesses and encroachments along the Kiratpur-Manali highway, observing that the officer will have to appear in court personally if action is not taken against encroachers.A division bench comprising Chief Justice G S Sandhawalia and Justice Bipin C Negi in a recent hearing observed "as per the report submitted by the SDM, 51 encroachments and illegal accesses are still to be removed from the highway and it is thus apparent that the officer has not done anything fruitful". Chief Justice G S Sandhawalia on July 21 last year ordered the Kullu, Mandi and Bilaspur deputy commissioners to remove all encroachments along the Kiratpur-Manali highway. The directions were issued on a petition filed by Madan Lal Sharma, general secretary, Fourlane Visthapit and Prabahavit Samiti (FVPS), an organisation that works for the people displaced by highway projects, in 2023. The petition said lack of footpaths, steel barricades, retaining walls, and foot-over-bridges has made the Kiratpur-Nerchowk highway accident-prone and unsafe for users. Justice Sandhawalia had also directed the DCs to submit reports on the status of encroachments along the highway falling in these districts and to take necessary action. The HC said Mandi deputy commissioner's affidavit mentioned 61 out of 117 illegal accesses (entry and exit points) and 23 out of 43 encroachments were removed from the section of the highway that falls in Sundernagar sub-division of the district. However, 56 illegal accesses and 20 encroachments are still pending. In Balh sub-division of Mandi district, the administration has removed 30 out of 47 illegal accesses and 12 out of 21 encroachments, leaving 17 illegal accesses and nine encroachments yet to be cleared. The HC said the Balichowki SDM has reported complete removal of all six identified encroachments. An affidavit filed by the Kullu deputy commissioner said 11 out of 22 encroachments were removed, while notices were issued to the remaining encroachers. In Bhuntar tehsil, all 60 identified encroachments have been removed. The administration also removed hoardings and boards installed on NHAI-acquired land between Patlikuhal and 18 Mile. The HC also directed the officers concerned to file fresh status reports. The next hearing is on July 28. MSID:: 131309174 413 |