Amnesty scheme to regularise unauthorised constructions under Odisha HC scanner
The state government's amnesty scheme to regularise unauthorised residential as well as non-residential constructions in areas under civic bodies has come under the scanner of the Orissa high court. An RTI campaigner, Subash Mohapatra, has challenged the amnesty scheme announced by state government on June 20 in the high court. Taking cognizance of the petition, the division bench of Chief Justice Vineet Saran and Justice B R Sarangi issued notices to the state government and housing and urban development(H&UD) department in the matter. "The court has asked the state government and H&UD department to file their replies to the allegations of my client by August 2," said Sidharth Das, petitioner's counsel. The petitioner has challenged the scheme on the grounds that it is not in accordance with law. Mohapatra has alleged in his plea that in 2015 he filed a PIL in high court on basis of the CAG report which cited that state government officials were not taking appropriate and necessary measures to remove encroachments and illegal constructions of highrises. "While the matter is sub judice, the state government brought out the amnesty scheme and hence it is illegal," said Das. The next hearing of the case is posted to August 2.
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