HC pulls up Chandigarh administration over inaction against mandi staff

The court made it clear that merely penalising private agencies was not sufficient and stressed the need for departmental accountability

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the city administration to disclose what action has been taken against the officers and employees of the market committee, Sector 26, for their failure to maintain cleanliness and curb encroachments at the main fruit and vegetable market.

The direction came in response to an affidavit filed by the UT administration after the high court had taken suo motu cognisance of the unsanitary conditions (Representational Image)

The direction came in response to an affidavit filed by the UT administration after the high court had taken suo motu cognisance of the unsanitary conditions, garbage piles, muddy roads, and rampant encroachments in the Sector 26 mandi.

A division bench comprising chief justice Sheel Nagu and justice Sanjiv Berry noted that while penalties had been imposed on outsourced cleaning contractors, the affidavit remained silent on the accountability of market committee officers and employees.

“The affidavit is silent with regard to the role of the officers and employees of the market committee, who had failed to discharge their duties of supervising and ensuring that no such encroachment or littering takes place,” the bench observed.

The court made it clear that merely penalising private agencies was not sufficient and stressed the need for departmental accountability. “Let another affidavit be filed so as to disclose what action has been taken against inactive employees of Sector 26 mandi,” the bench ordered. The case has been listed for further hearing on November 10.