PATNA: The Patna high court on Tuesday gave four months’ time to the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Patna district officials concerned to list on an affidavit the steps taken for removal of ‘khatals’, or cow sheds, and other encroachments from the roads in the state capital.
Passing the order on a PIL of Barun Kumar Sharma, a division bench comprising Chief Justice Rekha Manaharlal Doshit and Justice Shivakirti Singh directed the PMC and the district administration to prevent fresh encroachments by ‘khatals’ on the roads and lanes. Responsibility should be fixed on officials concerned for encroachment removal, the court said.
The court passed this order when advocate general PK Shahi filed an affidavit on behalf of the PMC, stating that an anti-encroachment drive was launched from June 1 and 20 and ‘khatals’ and other encroachments were removed from ward numbers 36, 38, 39, 41, 42, 43, 47, 48, 49, 50 and 51.
The PMC affidavit further said ‘khatals’ and other such encroachments have been removed from localities like Bhawar Pokhar, Khazanchi Road, Dariyapur, Kazipur, behind Pataliputra school, BN Rai Path in Kadamkuan and behind Vaishali cinema in Lohanipur besides other localities in central Patna.
The advocate general submitted another phase of anti-encroachment drive has been launched in other wards of the PMC from June 21. The drive would be an ongoing process, he added.
The state government submitted the Patna DM has directed the SSP to prevent re-encroachments in the areas where anti-encroachment drive was launched. The high court was concerned that ‘khatals’ and other encroachments were creating hurdle in the smooth flow of traffic as well as maintaining cleanliness on the city roads.
Petitioner’s counsel Sunil Kumar and intervener petitioner and lawyer Shambhu Sharan Singh apprised the court of their dissatisfaction over the claims of the PMC regarding removal of encroachments.