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Saurabh Malik
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, February 12
Less than two months after the Punjab and Haryana High Court described as shocking the Zirakpur Municipal Council’s attempts to attribute non-provision of rainwater drainage system to want of funds, the local body has come out with an action plan.
Appearing before Justice Nirmaljit Kaur’s Bench, Zirakpur Municipal Council’s Executive Officer Girish Verma said the action plan had been prepared and submitted to a committee, along with an estimate of Rs 29 lakh. “As soon as the committee gives its approval, the work shall commence after following due procedure within three months from today,” he said.
Taking a note of the assertion, Justice Nirmaljit Kaur fixed the case for May last week before directing the placing of a status report on record. “The personal appearance of Girish Verma, Executive Officer, Municipal Council, Zirakpur, is exempted till further orders,” Justice Nirmaljit Kaur said.
The development took place on a petition alleging contempt of court filed by advocate Naveender PK Singh against IAS officer A Venu Prasad and other respondents. Acting on the plea, Justice Nirmaljit Kaur, on a previous date of hearing, had directed the Executive Officer “to be present before the court with a proper plan for doing the needful within a reasonable time”.
Taking up the petition filed on behalf of societies in Zirakpur abutting the old Ambala road matter, the High Court had earlier ruled that the storm water system was an essentiality to drain out the rainwater.
The Bench, in April last year, had also directed the Zirakpur Municipal Council to make an “endeavour by considering its feasibility as early as possible, but not later than six months from the date of receiving a certified copy of the order.”
The judgment was significant as the respondent council, in its affidavit dated March 6, had claimed absence of provision for constructing storm water drainage.
The Bench had also directed the respondent council to immediately start the process of laying bitumen near Sushma Square on the old Kalka-Ambala highway by issuing an e-tender. “It is needless to mention that the respondent shall make strenuous efforts to complete the work in all respects before the onset of the monsoon so that the residents of the area may not suffer in this regard,” Justice Jain asserted.
Referring to the issue of widening the road, the Bench had observed the respondents’ stand was that land belonging to private persons had to be acquired for the purpose. As such, the respondent was directed to consider the matter in accordance with law. The Bench had also observed that the sewer line had already been connected with the main line and the respondent corporation had completed the work of installing interlocking tiles.
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