High Court raps Administration for treating Chandigarh as ‘green zone’

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, May 15

Virtually rapping the UT Administration for practically treating Chandigarh as a “green zone” and indulging in adventurism, the Punjab and Haryana High Court today minced no words to say 500 people could be seen at Sukhna Lake the previous day.

Will go by MHA norms, says UT

Pankaj Jain, senior standing counsel for the UT, undertook that the authorities in future as well would continue to strictly implement the MHA guidelines regarding Covid-19. The authorities would consult and seek clarifications from the MHA, in case it was required.

Verbally describing the Administration as “most intelligent” and “super government”, a Division Bench of the High Court asked the UT counsel why not open the courts as well when everything else had been opened.

Responding to the assertion by the Bench of Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha and Justice Arun Palli, PIL-petitioner Pankaj Chandgothia pointed out that then even temples should have been allowed to open. Speaking for the Bench, the Chief Justice observed that such places had not been allowed to be opened by the Centre because people tend to gather in large number. Chief Justice Jha also drew a parallel with the lake, where more than 500 people could be seen.

Senior standing counsel for the UT Pankaj Jain undertook that the authorities would continue to strictly implement the MHA guidelines on Covid.

The undertaking came after Additional Solicitor-General of India Satya Pal Jain submitted that the petitioner, UT and the Union of India had common object and concern regarding steps to be taken for the prevention of Covid-19.

Since the present guidelines were applicable for another two days up to May 17, the UT and the MHA would sit together today itself and resolve all issues latest by tomorrow. Chandgothia, during the course of the proceedings, had contended that the MHA had extended the nationwide lockdown to May 17. However, the UT, which was a limb of the MHA and was under its direct control, decided to grant liberal relaxations to the citizens even from neighbouring states.

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