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No new construction near IAF stations, babus tell high court
The deputy commissioners (DCs) of Gurgaon and Faridabad appeared before the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday to file their response in the ongoing case against illegal constructions in prohibited zones around Indian Air Force stations.
The deputy commissioners (DCs) of Gurgaon and Faridabad appeared before the Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday to file their response in the ongoing case against illegal constructions in prohibited zones around Indian Air Force stations.
Both the officials told the court that no new construction was taking place in the restricted area.
The bench, meanwhile, ordered the air force authorities to inform the administration in case any fresh construction takes place in prohibited areas. The case will come up for hearing on May 7.
During an earlier hearing, IAF counsel Onkar Singh Batalvi claimed that despite several directions from the high court and steps taken by the district administrations of Gurgaon and Faridabad, encroachers were still carrying out building work at night.
Batalvi further stated that air force authorities had informed the Gurgaon administration this year on April 20 and Faridabad administration on February 26 about illegal construction activities in prohibited zones.
Despite prompt action by the district administrations, the authorities had failed to impose complete ban on construction activities. The air force counsel, however, submitted that following the inspection by chief judicial magistrates of Faridabad and Gurgaon in their respective areas, there was no rampant construction but it had not stopped completely.
The matter had reached the high court through a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by one Suresh Goyal of Faridabad seeking removal of construction from 100-metre area around the air force station.
The court had also taken cognisance of a similar matter of construction activities within the restricted zone of 900 metres of the IAF ammunition depot in Gurgaon and ordered a stay on fresh construction.
The high court has been proactive in the matter given the security threat posed to the defence establishments.
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