Taking up a public interest litigation, the Punjab and Haryana high court has directed the Haryana government to inform the court by Thursday about the steps taken to make the movement of trains normal, which have been obstructed by Jat agitators.
The division bench headed by chief justice Ranjan Gogoi also directed the state authorities to inform about the extent of success achieved after the action taken by the authorities and its results.
The public interest litigation filed by an NGO National Consumer Awareness Group Society, Chandigarh, had sought directions from the state to take immediate steps for ensuring that railway tracks all over Haryana blocked by the Jat agitators may be opened for smooth movement of passenger as well as goods trains.
The petitioner had also sought directions from the court to Daljit Singh Panghal, district president Akhil Bhartiya Jat Sangarsh Samiti, Hisar and two other organisers of Jat reservation movement in the state to not to disrupt the railway or road traffic.
However, the bench observed that unless specific details about the obstruction of movement of trains are not submitted before the court it was difficult for the court to make assessment of the situation and to issue directions.
Hence, the bench directed the petitioner to inform on the next date of hearing, i.e. March 24, about the extent to which train movement has been affected, whether the movement of trains was cancelled or their routes were altered and the period for such movement was affected.
It was brought to the notice of the high court that the Jat agitators, on March 3, gave a call for convening a public meeting in the name of "Jat Balidan Rally" to press their demands for reservation in public employment. Now a large section of Jat community has been instigated in Haryana to block almost all the railway tracks passing through the state causing immense inconvenience to the general public, submitted the petitioner. It was stated that this had affected the supply of essential commodities including the supply of coal to thermal power plants in the state which is likely to close the power plants.
However, the bench observed that unless specific details about the obstruction of movement of trains are not submitted before the court it was difficult for the court to make assessment of the situation and to issue directions.
Hence, the bench directed the petitioner to inform on the next date of hearing, i.e. March 24, about the extent to which train movement has been affected, whether the movement of trains was cancelled or their routes were altered and the period for such movement was affected.
It was brought to the notice of the high court that the Jat agitators, on March 3, gave a call for convening a public meeting in the name of "Jat Balidan Rally" to press their demands for reservation in public employment. Now a large section of Jat community has been instigated in Haryana to block almost all the railway tracks passing through the state causing immense inconvenience to the general public, submitted the petitioner. It was stated that this had affected the supply of essential commodities including the supply of coal to thermal power plants in the state which is likely to close the power plants.