108 cases filed, UT tells HC

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 17

Just over two months after the Chandigarh Administration made clear its intent to carry out day-to-day monitoring of defacement in the city, the Punjab and Haryana High Court was today told that over 100 FIRs were registered.

As a ‘court on its motion” or “suo motu” case on the issue came up for resumed hearing, an additional affidavit was placed before Justice Rajesh Bindal’s Bench by UT District Magistrate Ajit Balaji Joshi.

The affidavit, among other things, said a total of 108 cases were registered under the provisions of the Delhi Prevention of Defacement of Property Act in Chandigarh from September 1 to 11.

Joshi also told the Bench that three enforcement teams were constituted for proper enforcement of the Defacement of Property Act during elections to the PUCSC of Panjab University and affiliated colleges.

The administration, on the previous date of hearing, had informed the Bench that the teams were headed by three SDMs belonging to the Indian Administrative Services.

The HC had earlier made it clear that treat dustbins as piece of trash and be ready to pay fine. The HC had, in fact, directed the states of Punjab and Haryana, along with the UT, to impose appropriate fine on litterbugs.

In a judgment having potential of changing the way streets were littered, a Division Bench had asserted: “The writ petition is ordered to be closed with a direction to Punjab and Haryana as well as the UT, to ensure that residents do not resort to throwing garbage in public places and in case any person does so, appropriate fine be imposed”.

A Single Judge of the HC had earlier taken suo motu cognisance of the “pathetic and horrible sanitation conditions, defacement and destruction of public property by residents of Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali”. The matter was then directed to be treated as a PIL before being placed after the Division Bench.

During the course of hearing, the amicus curiae or friend of the court visited apni mandis held weekly in various areas of the tricity before reporting that the sites were not cleaned till next afternoon, resulting in accumulation of garbage. Counsel for the Chandigarh Administration, in response, undertook that the apni mandi sites would be cleaned by 11.00 am the next day. He added fines were being imposed, in case someone was found littering.