Marble traders get HC ultimatum

The Punjab and Haryana high court on Wednesday gave Sikandarpur marble traders two days’ time to clear area occupied beyond the allotted commercial plots on MG Road. Dhananjay Jha reports.

The Punjab and Haryana high courts on Wednesday gave Sikandarpur marble traders two days’ time to clear area occupied beyond the allotted commercial plots on MG Road.

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"We will follow the court orders and vacate the said area in 24 hours," said a trader after the court order.

The court order came while hearing the contempt petition filed by Sikandarpur marble traders against Praveen Kumar, the Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) administrator and YS Gupta, the then joint commissioner of the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG).

In a joint anti-encroachment drive on January 9 and 10, the two officials had seized marbles stocked beyond the permissible commercial area. The officials had also given an ultimatum to shift all business from Sikanderpur to Sector 33-34 as the Huda had developed a special market for marbles.

"The court on Wednesday heard the contempt petition and rejected the traders' plea seeking immediate relief in terms of seized marble. The court in fact reprimanded the traders for encroaching upon public land," said Narender Hooda, senior advocate general, Haryana.

"As per court directions, we will leave a passage for entry and exit for the market from MG Road side. On the remaining land, we will develop a fenced green belt," said the MCG commissioner.

The court will hear arguments regarding shifting of business from Sikandarpur to Sector 33-34 on March 15.