The High Court of Himachal Pradesh has expressed dissatisfaction with the director of urban development for submitting inadequate compliance affidavits. The court has warned against accepting incomplete submissions and given the director three weeks to provide a comprehensive affidavit regarding the status of land transfer for construction waste dumping sites. Other respondents in the case must also submit their responses. The court found the previous affidavit to be lacking in details about land transfer progress and implementation of relevant laws. It emphasized the need for more informative and detailed affidavits in the future.
The High Court of Himachal Pradesh has expressed dissatisfaction with the director of urban development for their inadequate compliance with court orders. They have issued a warning that they will no longer accept incomplete or insufficient affidavits. The director of urban development has been given a three-week deadline, until October 12, to submit a new affidavit that clearly outlines the progress and status of land transfer for the construction waste dumping sites.
In addition to the director, other respondents in the case are also required to submit their responses before the next hearing. A division bench consisting of Justice Tarlok Singh Chauhan and Justice Ranjan Sharma issued this order, stating that the director's previous affidavit, claiming compliance with the September 11 orders, was merely lip service.
The earlier orders from the court had instructed the respondents to provide information about the locations designated for dumping construction and demolition waste in accordance with a 2016 law. They were also directed to furnish an affidavit explaining how they had implemented the Himachal Pradesh Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act of 1995, including details of any authorities penalized under Section 8 of that law.
The court pointed out that while the affidavit contained an annexure with details of the dumping sites, it failed to clarify why the identified land had not yet been transferred to the urban local bodies (ULBs). The court found the affidavit to be lacking in information regarding the current stage and status of the land transfer.
The High Court of Himachal Pradesh has cautioned the director of urban development and other respondents to provide more comprehensive and informative affidavits that address the court's previous orders and requirements within the specified time frame. The court is keen on obtaining clear and detailed information about the status of land transfers and the implementation of relevant laws regarding garbage disposal.