HC takes suo motu notice, calls for report on Chandigarh's Sector 26 mandi

Just about a week after a news report on the stinking garbage heaps, muddy roads and encroachments in the Sector 26 fruit and vegetable mandi were reported in Chandigarh Tribune, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has sought an affidavit from the UT Administration after taking suo motu cognisance of the news report.

“Why are you permitting total anarchy in Sabzi Mandi?” the Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry asked the administration during the course of hearing. Taking up the suo motu or Court-on-its-own motion against the UT Administration through its Chief Secretary, the Bench asserted that the court had taken cognisance of the “dis-ordinary fashion in which the vegetable and fruit market is being allowed to be run by Union Territory, Chandigarh, Administration, in Sector 26, Chandigarh”.

The Bench also took note of UT Additional Standing Counsel Aman Pal’s submission on instructions from the UT Agriculture Marketing Board SDO that a decision has been taken to shift the vegetable and fruit market to Sector 39, Chandigarh, but the process of e-auction of allotment of shops had been stayed by the apex court in an SLP. The case will now come up for further hearing on August 19.

Chandigarh Tribune had reported that sanitation at the market had remained in a poor state over the years despite the Administration’s tall claims. The report had quoted a regular visitor as saying that the stench of the garbage was severe during monsoon and extra efforts were required to ensure cleanliness.