HYDERABAD, Aug 3: The Sindh High Court, Hyderabad circuit bench, has directed the Additional Advocate-General to seek report from the taluka municipal officer (TMO) and the SHO of the Market police station as to why encroachments had not been removed despite the court orders issued on April 20.
The matter has been fixed for hearing for August 8, and the AAG has asked the TMO and the SHO to file their comments and be present in the court on the next date of hearing.
The order was passed on Wednesday after the Medical Superintendent of the Civil Hospital of Hyderabad submitted before the court the copy of his letter sent to the TMO and the SHO of the Market police station, stating that despite orders of the court dated April 20, encroachments around boundary walls of the hospital still existed and encroachers were running their business illegally in violation of the court order.
In his letter, the MS asked the two officials to ensure removal of encroachments around the boundary walls of the hospital as it was creating problems for patients and pedestrians.
One A.B.Channa, the petitioner NGO, Tanzeem for anti-pollution, environment and encroachments stated in his petition that on both sides of the road of Government Noor Mohammad High School and CHH, encroachers had occupied footpaths where they had set-up their hotels and pushcarts, causing great difficulties to patients, their attendants, passengers who come from interior of Sindh and students of the school.
He said that no space was left for pedestrians and some innocent children had met with road accidents.
He further said that the issue had also been taken-up by various social welfare organisations’ representatives. He added that TMA city had got a survey of encroachments conducted.
He, however, said the anti-encroachment cell of TMA city and the Market police were protecting the encroachers. The petitioner stated that encroachments were removed earlier on the high court’s order which re-emerged in the area.
On April 20, a division bench of the SHC had directed the city taluka nazim to remove encroachments.
The former nazim had denied contents of the petition, pleading that orders were issued for removal of encroachments and it was incorrect that no action had been taken as encroachments had been removed on July 19, 2003.
