The Times of India          09.11.2013

CS Rajan asks officials to use force if required to remove encroachment

JAIPUR: Taking a stern stand against the protesting encroachers in the catchment area of Amanishah Nullah, chief secretary CS Rajan has directed officials to use force, if required, to evacuate the houses.

During the review meeting on Friday regarding the work progress in the catchment area, Jaipur Development Authority (JDA) and Jaipur Municipal Corporation (JMC) informed the chief secretary that despite several attempts encroachers are not filling the consent letter. As per the state government's directions, the affected house owners cannot be displaced if they do not fill the consent letter.

Sources present in the meeting claimed that "Directions were given to remove the houses even if owners were protesting and not filling the consent letter. Strict instructions have been given to widen the Nullah in the given deadline."

Recently, the state government was rapped by the Rajasthan high court after the JMC and JDA failed to effectively comply with the directions to remove encroachment from the Amanishah Nullah area.

The division bench of Justice Ajay Rastogi and Justice J K Ranka had expressed its displeasure with the JMC's compliance report filed in the matter. The civic body pleaded that it completed the first stage of issuing notices to the encroachers in the area and would now be removing those who were still occupying the dry river bed's catchment area.

Finding the JMC report wanting, the bench questioned the state government on why it was not monitoring the compliance of the court orders on removing squatters from the Nullah.

Justice Rastogi rapped the state government saying the JMC and JDA were its organs and, as such, it was bound to ensure that they abided by the court instructions.

The bench later directed the JMC to file the progress report in the matter on an affidavit by January 22. The litigation would be heard again on January 28.