High Court takes suo motu notice of Chandigarh's Sector 26 vegetable market woes, seeks UT report

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of a recent report detailing the dire conditions at the Sector 26 fruit and vegetable market. The court has now sought an affidavit from the UT Administration regarding the persistent issues of stinking garbage, muddy roads and encroachments.

During the hearing, a Bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry questioned the administration's allowance of "total anarchy" within the market.

"Why are you permitting total anarchy in Sabzi Mandi?" the Bench asked the administration during the course of hearing.

The Bench also took note of UT Additional Standing Counsel Aman Pal’s submission on instructions from 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.

The Tribune's report highlighted the long-standing poor sanitation, with visitors noting severe stench during the monsoon season.