Ahmedabad, Aug 3 The Gujarat High Court on Monday directed the Surat civic body to take steps in accordance with law if any coercive measures are intended to be taken against a property situated adjacent to a large number of houses recently demolished in Nasirnagar locality.
The owner of a house situated near the area where demolition of around hundred properties by Surat Municipal Corporation took place on May 30 has moved a plea expressing his apprehension that his accommodation may also be demolished in the same manner.
In his order, Justice Nikhil Kariel said if the SMC needs to take some coercive measures, it should be taken in accordance with law.
The Surat civic body's lawyer submitted that the court is looking into the issue with regard to the demolition carried out in the society on May 30 and that the SMC is not intending to demolish the property in the present petition as of now.
In case the SMC takes any steps, it would be in accordance with law, by issuing notice and the procedure as per the law.
The HC is separately hearing a plea moved by some persons whose houses were razed by the SMC in Nasirnagar locality on May 30.
The court had called the move, which has left over a hundred families homeless, "completely illegal" and sought a top-level inquiry.
The court had also orally posed question to the police commissioner as to why no complaint and investigation was launched in the matter, despite a senior DCP level police officer being present at the site.
The municipal commissioner had said in his affidavit that the plot in questioned belonged to private individuals who had sought to develop through third parties, and a plot validation certificate was sought on March 12 this year, which was rejected.
When the developer requested to carry out physical demarcation of the street line, some SMC officers had intimated police about demarcation to be undertaken on May 30.
The commissioner said the demolition was carried out during the course of this demarcation.
