DC orders removal of unauthorised religious structures on public land

In accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court and the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Deputy Commissioner (DC) Nishant Kumar Yadav today reviewed the status of unauthorised religious structures built on public land.

Senior officials from key departments, including the Forest Department, Chandigarh Housing Board, Estate Office, Land Acquisition Office, Municipal Corporation, and Engineering Department, attended a meeting.

The DC took stock of the current status of action taken and reviewed the progress made by each department in addressing the issue.

It was noted that three unauthorised religious structures identified on forest land were yet to be removed. The DC instructed the Forest Department to initiate immediate action in cases where no legal hurdles exist.

The Land Acquisition Office reported 16 unauthorised structures. Of these, three acquisition notifications have been quashed by the court and Special Leave Petitions have been filed in two cases before the Supreme Court. The process to remove the remaining structures is underway. The department was asked to strengthen legal follow-up and expedite the removal of structures wherever there was no judicial stay.

The Engineering Department said 58 unauthorised structures had been identified on land under its jurisdiction and 11 of these had already been removed.

As per the MC, out of 118 identified unauthorised religious structures, 24 have been demolished.

In order to prevent future encroachments, the DC directed all departments to immediately fence and secure the land that has been reclaimed. He also emphasised the need for a strong inter-departmental coordination, particularly with the Enforcement Wing of the Estate Office and the Sub-Divisional Magistrates (Central, East, and South), to ensure effective and uninterrupted execution of removal operations. All departments have been instructed to submit updated Action Taken Reports (ATRs) to the DC office by month end.

Reiterating the seriousness of the issue, the DC stated that compliance with court directions was non-negotiable and any delay, negligence or non-compliance will be viewed seriously and dealt with accordingly.