Estate Office sets up commission

Saurabh Malik

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 18

Entrusted with the task of removing encroachments and unauthorised occupation in the city, the Chandigarh Estate Office is setting its own house in order. It has set up a committee for preventing “unauthorised persons” from sitting in the Estate Office building.

It has also “removed” all “unauthorised persons” on the “premises of the Estate Office building”. The development is significant as the advocates there have since long been complaining of “unauthorised persons” carrying out the work of drafting affidavits and other such activities.

Information on their removal and setting up of the committee was furnished before the Punjab and Haryana High Court during the hearing of a petition filed by the Estate Office Advocates Welfare Association, Sector 17, Chandigarh, against the Union Territory of Chandigarh and other respondents.

In their petition placed before Justice Paramjeet Singh, the association was seeking directions to the respondents to “immediately remove the unauthorised occupants of space around the Estate Office Building, Sector 17, Chandigarh”.

In pursuance of the notice of motion issued by the High Court, UT Deputy Commissioner filed an affidavit stating that on October 21, last year, all unauthorised persons on the premises of the Estate Office building had been removed and their “material/articles” seized.

It is further stated that a committee comprising District Treasury Officer Rajiv Tiwari, Tehsildar (Enforcement) Amarinder Singh and Superintendent Deepak Kainth had been constituted “to conduct the inspection of the premises and to check the unauthorised persons sitting in the premises of the Estate Office, Chandigarh, from time to time”.

Taking a note of the assertion, Justice Paramjeet Singh asserted: “The present writ petition has been rendered infructuous… However, as and when the situation of encroachment and unauthorised occupation again arises in the area, the petitioner will have right to file writ petition afresh”.

Appearing before the Bench, the counsel for the petitioner had earlier claimed that 106 seats were earmarked for typists, oath commissioners and notary. Out of the total, only 81 seats were assigned. No less than 24 seats were available against which other applicants could be accommodated.

The petitioner had earlier relied on a direction issued by the Collector to the Tehsildar for initiating action for vacating unauthorised occupants. Taking a note of the prayer, the High Court on a previous date of hearing had asserted: “The respondents shall cause ejectment of unauthorised occupants as were identified in the letter of the Collector on March 9, 2012, or any other unlawful occupants and give a report with an affidavit of the Collector, Union Territory, Chandigarh…”