Hearing on a public interest litigation against building portions of Parmarth Niketan Ashram encroaching on the banks of the Ganga in Rishikesh with alleged connivance of officials, the high court expressed dissatisfaction at the slow pace of investigation in the case.
The division bench of chief justice Ramesh Ranganathan and justice Alok Kumar Verma has directed the Pauri district magistrate to appear in court on December 16.
During the previous hearing, the high court had directed the Pauri district magistrate to inspect the site in Rishikesh and submit his reply in the court. However, the response has not been submitted yet in the court. Considering this, the court has now directed the Pauri district magistrate to appear in court. On Wednesday, the counsel for the Ashram informed the court that the establishment consists of 50 rooms and also has a sewerage treatment plant. It will be recalled that high court advocate and Haridwar resident Vivek Shukla had filed the PIL contending that Parmarth Niketan had encroached on 70 metre Government land on the banks of the Ganga in Rishikesh.
The petitioner had further stated that a walkway was constructed on the river to reach a statue installed in the river. Additionally, a hall had also been built at the site which was rented out commercially. The petitioner had appealed that unauthorised activities be stopped and that the banks be freed from encroachment.