Chattisgarh HC Takes Suo-Moto Cognizance Of Alleged Ilegal Excavation Of Murum By Builders

The Chhattisgarh High Court has taken suo-moto cognizance of alleged illegal excavation and usage of murum from army land near Chakarbhatta Airport.

The Court was considering it in the backdrop of a news item namely "Sena Ki Jameen Se Chori Ki Gayi Murum Ki Moti Parat BichRahi Coloniyo Me, Raipur Road Me 300 Ekad Me Ban Rahi Colony, 60Ekad Me Murum Se Banai Sadak, Published in Daily News PaperDainik Bhaskar, dated 24 December, 2024."

The division-bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal observed, "The learned Additional Advocate General shallensure that notice about the present PIL is also servedon the newly added respondent No.10, ‘FortuneElement Colony’ through its proprietor Shri PawanAgrawal, Seven Hills, Near Jain Mandir, Vinoba Nagar Bilaspur (C.G.) Pin 4959001, who may appear inperson or though his counsel, if he so wishes, beforethis Court on the next date of hearing."

The Court at the outset noted that similar news reports have been published in the same newspaper on different dates.

"Through the news item published on 24.12.2024,it has been highlighted that at Raipur road near Parsada, Divine Group through its proprietor ShriPawan Agrawal, Seven Hills, Near Jain Mandir, VinobaNagar, Bilaspur (C.G.) Pin 4959001, is constructing acolony namely ‘Fortune Element Colony’, wherein the builder is building roads in the colony by buying stolen muroom at a throwaway price and at present concreteis being done on a road at about one kilometer to enterthe colony from the main gate. A thick layer of stolen muroom has been laid beneath it and it is alleged that the said stolen muroom has been extracted from armyland in village Telsara near Chakarbhatha Airport," the Court observed.

The Court directed the Registry to implead ‘Fortune Element Colony’ through its proprietor Shri Pawan Agrawal, a private builder, against whom allegation has been made that he is being using the muroom extracted from the land of the Army for the use of developing his colonies.

It was apprised that notice is already served upon them and reply is awaited and that Defence Estate Officer has also maderequest to the Collector, Bilaspur to stop the excavation of muroom from the land of Army.

The matter has been listed for 9th January 2025 for next hearing.

Cause Title: In the matter of Suo Moto Public Interest Litigation regarding News itemNamely- Sena Ki Jameen Se Chori Ki Gayi Murum Ki Moti Parat BichRahi Coloniyo Me, Raipur Road Me 300 Ekad Me Ban Rahi Colony, 60Ekad Me Murum Se Banai Sadak, Published in Daily News PaperDainik Bhaskar, dated 24 December, 2024 vs. Union of India

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