Punjab and Haryana HC holistic development plan: Center to take action
The HC had been hearing a plea from Vinod Dhatterwal, Secretary, Punjab and Haryana High Court Employees Association, seeking implementation of the plan, which envisaged setting up of multi-storey buildings to cater to the requirement of additional space.
During the resumed hearing of the holistic development plan of the Punjab and Haryana High Court complex, the Counsel for Central Government told the HC that the Government of India would take an immediate decision for obtaining a Heritage Impact Assessment Report from an independent agency.
The HC had been hearing a plea from Vinod Dhatterwal, Secretary, Punjab and Haryana High Court Employees Association, seeking implementation of the plan, which envisaged setting up of multi-storey buildings to cater to the requirement of additional space.
The petitioner stated that around 10,000 cars and thousands of two-wheelers come to the high court daily as 10,000 lawyers, over 3,300 court employees and a large number of litigants visit the court everyday. “From the security and emergency perspective, even a small incident can lead to a rampage, resulting in unimagined loss,” the plea said, seeking court’s attention.
As the matter came up for hearing before the division bench of Chief Justice Ravi Shanker Jha and Justice Arun Palli, the Draft Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) Report on Multi-Level Underground Parking Project in Capitol Complex (WHS), Chandigarh and Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) on Holistic Development of Punjab and Haryana High Court Project, were taken on record.
Senior Standing Counsel for Chandigarh, Anil Mehta, submitted that all the steps they took including submission of report are as per the directions and orders issued by the Central Government and its department and while the UT Chandigarh has no objection to the Holistic Development Plan for Multilevel Underground Parking. However, the UT has obtained a Heritage Impact Assessment Report from the Principal, College of Architecture, Chandigarh and submitted it to the Central Government and to the High Court.
The UT Counsel further submitted that the matter is now pending before the Central Government and whatever decision is taken by the Central Government in this regard it would be acceptable and implemented by the UT Administration.
Appearing for the Union of India, Additional Solicitor General, Satya Pal Jain submitted that in view of the peculiar facts and circumstances the Government of India would take an immediate decision for obtaining a Heritage Impact Assessment Report from another independent agency.
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