Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, June 2: In a PIL highlighting encroachment of public parks in Jammu city by the security personnel of various VVIPs by installing tents, Division Bench of the State High Court comprising Justice Muzaffar Hussain Attar and Justice Janak Raj Kotwal issued notice to Principal Secretary Home, Commissioner Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department, Managing Director J&K Housing Board, Director Floriculture, Director General of Police and ADGP Security for their response.
Advocate Sunil Sethi with Advocate Paras Gupta appearing for the PIL filed by RTI activist Balwinder Singh, drew the attention of the DB towards the RTI disclosure wherein the Floriculture Department has indicated the names of 17 VVIPs whose security personnel have installed tents for the last more than 10 years in the parks of Floriculture Department thereby disturbing the green belt of the respective areas.
“The Police Guards guarding the life of VVIPs have occupied the public parks and have set up their tents besides toilet/bathroom”, Advocate Sethi submitted, adding “it is settled position that the security personnel deputed with the VVIPs should accommodate in the houses of the concerned VVIPs but instead of that they are staying outside their homes and put up their tents in public places/public parks”.
It was submitted that the public parks have been encroached in posh localities of Green Belt area of Gandhi Nagar and Channi Himmat and the encroachment is a grave nuisance for the inhabitants of these localities. The petitioner prayed for removal of the encroachments in the public parks made by the security personnel.
After hearing counsels for the petitioner, DB issued notice to Principal Secretary Home, Commissioner Secretary Housing and Urban Development Department, Managing Director J&K Housing Board, Director Floriculture, Director General of Police and ADGP Security for their response before next date of hearing.
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