Illegal sheds on govt land in Shimla, notice to CS
Legal Correspondent
Shimla, September 9
The HP High Court today issued notices to the Chief Secretary, Commissioner of the Shimla MC, and the Deputy Commissioner and the SP in a matter regarding the construction of illegal sheds on government land at Downdale (Phagli) in Shimla.
A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravi Malimath and Justice Jyotsna Rewal Dua passed the order on a petition letter written by Tek Chand, a leprosy patient, to the Chief Justice and taken up suo motu as a PIL.
The petitioner stated that he is residing in a government house built for leprosy patients and two other such patients, namely Gulab Singh and Partap, also live in the building. The duo have illegally constructed four permanent houses and 38 temporary sheds on the government land.
The petitioner alleged that last year, the councillor of the Fagli ward and a Junior Engineer erected a wall at a cost or Rs 70 to Rs 80 lakh on the land encroached upon by Gulab Singh and Partap. They were allotted government houses in 2013 though the duo did not need accommodation as they had their houses on the land.
The encroachers threaten to ostracise him from the panchayat of leprosy patients and also expel him from the government house. He prayed that he may be allowed to live freely and peacefully in the government hosue and strict action be taken against the wrongdoers and an inquiry be conducted. The court posted the matter after four weeks and directed the respondents to file their replies by then.
