Rain-hit for 3 days, courts likely to be functional from Sept 5

The incessant rain has not just hampered the education and businesses, but also the working of the district courts here for the past nearly three days.

The working remained limited for the past two days as the rainwater had clogged not just the entrance but also the parking area and the basement. More than five feet water had gone to the basement area. Not just the staff of the courts complex, but also lawyers and judges had supervised the drainage of rainwater from the complex through suction pumps.

Finally, the electricity was restored today and computers and printers could be in working condition. For the past two days, even the causelist was being issued in handwritten format, which otherwise is always a computerised list. The generator set in the complex could not be run for two days.

The elevator in the four-storey complex, however, is still not working. "We shall have to call in an expert before switching it on to see if it is safe for use now. We do not want any mishap or electrocution because of any dumpness in the area", said lawyer Mandeep Sachdev.

Another lawyer Parminder Vig said, "Drainage perhaps is still a big issue in our complex. The administration must ensure better facilities. If there cannot be proper facilities in this area, the complex can be shifted to a better location as was being planned earlier."

Owing to difficulty for lawyers, judges and petitioners in reaching the complex and be able to work, very few cases were heard for three days. "Things are getting normal and we hope that proper working will be restored on Friday. Tomorrow is no work day on account of the demise of senior lawyer Naresh Aggarwal", said District Bar president Aditya Jain.