Court directs DDA to restore electricity to senior citizen shed

The Delhi high court on Friday directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) not to disconnect the electric supply to Old Age Corner shed, a meeting place for senior citizens at Deer Park in Hauz Khas.

The Delhi high court on Friday directed the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) not to disconnect the electric supply to Old Age Corner shed, a meeting place for senior citizens at Deer Park in Hauz Khas.

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The DDA had disconnected the power supply to the shed and locked a storeroom, following a complaint from some senior citizens of the area. The Senior Citizen Council of Delhi, which organises daily satsangs and other spiritual and cultural activities at the designated corner shed, objected to DDA’s action and approached the court.

Justice Sunil Gaur directed the DDA to treat the writ petition as the council’s representation and look into their grievances. “Till the decision is taken, the electric supply to the Old Age Corner shed not be disconnected and council be allowed to use this shed alongwith the store attached thereto,” Gaur said.

“Some seniors (not part of the satsang group) had complained that these people use loudspeakers early in the morning. It is a forested area housing hundreds of deer,” a DDA official. “Moreover, their electric connection was unauthorised,” he added.

JR Gupta, who approached the court after the connection was severed last week, said, “If there are 500 to 1,000 people attending a satsang, we are bound to use loudspeakers.”

The DDA officer said no decision was taken as yet as “the court's direction is ex-party”.