RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, April 26: The Jharkhand High Court today directed Namkum circle officer to conclude the proceedings initiated after issuance of an encroachment notice on December 7 last year to villagers having their land in the periphery of the Birsa Munda Airport.
A single bench of Justice Anubha Rawat Choudhary gave the direction on April 24 after a section of villagers knocked the high court door getting demolition threat from the district administration intended to handover the land to Airport Authority of India for the expansion of the Birsa Munda Airport.
Before the high court gave the direction, senior advocate Rajendra Krishna appearing on behalf of the villagers submitted that it was wrong on the part of the district administration to give demolition threat without concluding the proceedings initiated after issuing an encroachment notice. According to Krishna, who was assisted by advocates Amit Sinha, Srikant and Manoj Kumar, giving an encroachment notice to landowners was wrong.
The advocates appearing on behalf of the state, additional advocate general Sachin Kumar, and Ravi Prakash Mishra, objected to the argument saying the land was already acquired by the district administration and those who turned up before the court were ‘subsequent purchasers’ of the acquired land after issuance of the land acquisition notice.
The high court before giving direction to the CO for conclusion of proceedings also directed the petitioners to approach the CO by filing separate representation annexing therewith a receipt copy of the reply with supporting documents said to have been already filed.
“Upon their (villagers) appearance, the respondent no. 4 (Namkum CO) is directed to consider the respective reply already filed by each of the petitioners and pass appropriate speaking order with respect to each petitioner in accordance with law within a period of one week from 26.04.2023 after granting an opportunity of hearing to the petitioners or their authorized representative. The parties are directed to cooperate with the proceedings. The reasoned order be communicated to the petitioners through e-mail as well as through speed-post at the e-mail id and address to be provided by each petitioner in the representation to be filed along with the net copy of this order. Upon passing of the reasoned order, the Circle officer shall proceed in accordance with law,” the high court order reads.
