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No law followed in construction of hotels in Kasauli: SC

No law has been followed in the construction of some resorts and hotels in the picturesque town of Kasauli in Himachal Pradesh and government officials have "colluded" in the illegalities, the Supreme Court observed on Wednesday.

The apex court said that some of the resorts and hotels in the town have constructed seven-storeyed buildings whereas they were permitted to build only three storeys.

"No law has been followed (in construction). Officials have completely colluded. Give respect to law," a vacation bench of Justices A M Sapre and S K Kaul observed.

The apex court was hearing separate pleas of some of the Kasauli-based resorts which had sought a stay on a National Green Tribunal (NGT) order directing demolition of several properties which were extended illegally without requisite approvals from authorities.

During the hearing on a plea filed by one of the hotels, the bench said that an eight-storeyed building was under construction there whereas the permission was to raise only a three-storeyed one.

When the counsel representing the hotel said there were some overlapping facts in the NGT judgement and no illegal construction was going on, the bench said, "you know better than us about what is going on there".

Meanwhile, the bench issued notice on the plea filed by AAA Guest House and stayed the operation of NGT's May 30 this year order.

Similarly, on the pleas filed by Hotel Pine View and Neelgiri Hotel, the bench issued notices but did not grant any stay on the NGT order.

During the hearing on one of the pleas, the apex court observed "you had permission to construct a three-storeyed building. You have constructed seven storeys. The four floors are completly unauthorised".

The bench also issued notice on a plea filed by another resort, also challenging the NGT order. The court tagged all these petitions with the pleas filed earlier by some other hotels and resorts against the green tribunal's order.

It fixed all the matters for hearing on July 11.
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