The Allahabad High Court has directed the Sub-Divisional Officer of Barabanki district to personally file an affidavit, giving details of the action taken for removal of encroachment from the river bed of Rait river and Zamuria Nala
The Lucknow Division Bench of Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Shree Prakash Singh passed the order, after taking cognisance of a PIL filed by Mehant Bhagwati Pratap Das.
The petitioner sought direction to the state respondents to remove encroachment, said to have been made on the river bed of river ‘Rait’ and ‘Zamuria Nala,’ which flow in district Barabanki.
The State Counsel, on the basis of instructions received from the Sub Divisional Officer, Tehsil Nawabganj, District Barabanki, contained in his letter dated August 22, 2022, stated that on receiving the complaint, a team was constituted under the Chairmanship of Tehsildar, Nawabganj, Barabanki, comprising officials of various other departments as well, including Nagar Palika Parishad of Nawabganj in district Barabanki, to remove the encroachment.
The High Court directed the SDO to file the affidavit regarding steps taken to remove the encroachment by the next date of hearing, which is September 22.