State pulled up for going slow on encroachments

The first bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan, came out strongly on the state after taking exception to the government lethargy in dealing with a petition to remove the encroachment in Mulachur Marakkanam Road at Attur village in Tindivanam, despite it being filed in February this year. 

The bench without mincing words said “while dealing with such matters relating to land encroachment and unauthorized construction, we are inundated with petitions only on account of failure of the authorities concerned to respond to the representation and take a decision one way or other. A Division Bench of this Court cannot be made into a Post office for deciding the representations.” 

It also held that “Unless appropriate measures are taken by the state government, we put the government pleader to notice that we will have no option but to call upon the secretaries concerned of the different departments to attend the court in the morning for an hour so that the non-dealing with the representations is attended to, rather than wasting the time of the court.” 

The bench also pointed out that the inaction is in violation of its own GO (Ms) No: 99, Personal And Administrative Reforms (A) department, dated September 21, which stipulates that grievance petitions should be acknowledged within three days of receipt and the grievance itself should be redressed within a month of its receipt and it should be with a speaking order in the event of redressal or rejection, if found necessary. 

Also, based on the contention of the petitioner C. Arumugam that his plea for removing the encroachments remains unattended, the bench directed the District Collector, Villupuram, to take a decision on the representation of the petitioner, after notice to all concerned, within a maximum period of three months.