Indore : Annoyed over dilly-dallying in a case related to Simhastha-2016, the Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court directed the Ujjain collector and the municipal commissioner to present in person on September 20.
The direction comes on a PIL filed by Manthan Parmarthik Trust of Ujjain wherein it’s alleged that the authorities are not making proper arrangements for Simhastha-2016.
The petition also claimed that Kshipra River is not cleaned, ghats not developed on its banks and encroachments in the ancient town still not removed for Simhastha mela to held in 2016.
Over the PIL, the HC in 2013 had sought replies from the Union and State governments, railways, MPEB, Pollution Control Board, Ujjain district administration, Ujjain Municipal Corporation and others.
Replies were not filed especially by the district administration and UMC. On their requests, the court in July granted three more weeks to file detailed replies over the petition but to no avail.
The deadlines passed off with the main respondents hiding behind excuse of transfers of officers from Ujjain and seeking more time stating that new officers required time to get acquainted with the matter. The district collector filed his reply on September 9 and UMC commissioner on September 11.
Describing their replies unsatisfactory, the court has directed the collector and the municipal commissioner to appear in person before it.
