24 , February , 2022
PTI: The Delhi High Court Wednesday sought response of the Lieutenant Governor (LG), SDMC, DSIIDC and Delhi Police Commissioner on a PIL over the issue of illegal construction and encroachment on public land in Okhla Industrial area.
A bench of Justices Manmohan and Navin Chawla, in a suo motu public interest litigation initiated by the court itself, issued notices to the Office of LG, South Delhi Municipal Corporation, Chairman of Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (DSIIDC) and Police Commissioner of Delhi Police and asked them respond to the issue.
The court listed the matter for further hearing on March 24.
The PIL committee of the high court had recommended that a July 7, 2017 letter by an individual be treated as a PIL in which he has complained over illegal construction and encroachment on public land in the industrial area.
It was alleged in the letter that the illegal construction was not removed by the authorities despite judicial orders and people of the area were facing issues due to illegal grabbing of public land and road.
The PIL committee in October 2017, had called for a report from the Chief Law Officer of SDMC.
The bench noted that a report was received from DSIIDC in October 2021, stating that Okhla Industrial Area Phase 2 was transferred to DSIIDC from SDMC after enactment of Delhi Industrial Development Operation and Maintenance Act, 2010.
The court also noted that in the minutes of meeting held under the chairmanship of LG on August 22, 2014, it was recorded that respective municipal corporations of Delhi would take necessary steps for removal of encroachments from common areas in joint operation with DSIIDC and Delhi Police.
Based on the minutes of meeting, the DSIIDC had requested SDMC on multiple occasions for taking necessary action to combat unauthorised encroachment in the industrial area, it noted.
