HC seeks report from state post inspection of ‘encroached’ PWD land
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday asked the state to conduct spot inspection of a Public Works Department (PWD) land which has been allegedly encroached upon by a private party and submit a report in court.
On Wednesday, Justice Sinha was hearing a petition wherein the advocate representing the petitioner informed the court that an unauthorised construction is afoot on a PWD vacant land which is just in front of the plot of the petitioner. It was further submitted that the assistant engineer of PWD, Kakdwip subdivision was informed about the matter but no action was taken.
The counsel further informed the court that his client told him that the BLRO had gone to the spot and had carried out a survey and yet the assistant engineer took no action to stop the unauthorised construction. Justice Sinha, in her order, stated: “Petitioner complains that private respondents have made unauthorised constructions over PWD land. Complaint was made before the assistant engineer, PWD, Kakdwip subdivision in 2018 but no response is alleged to be made.” The court ordered: “The assistant engineer, PWD, Kakdwip subdivision is directed to cause a spot inspection upon notice to all the necessary parties to ascertain the genuity of the allegations of encroachment of public land. Such spot inspection shall be conducted by August 9 and a report be placed before this court on August 14, 2024..”
Recently, the PWD issued directions for installation of signage boards in all vacant lands by July 31. It came out with a notification urging all chief engineers of the respective zones to take suitable measures for installation of signboards at its vacant lands. On June 12, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had advocated zero tolerance against encroachment of government lands and directed the administration to take immediate measures for freeing them. She had sought a report from all government departments about respective lands belonging to them and ordered that if any of them were found illegally occupied, the police should take strong action and return it to the respective departments.
