Kharkhoda Civil Court: In a suit filed to seek ad-interim relief in the form of mandatory injunction directing the defendants to take immediate action and provide a hassle-free public road as well as cleaning and maintaining it to provide basic amenities to the plaintiffs and other inhabitants of the town of Kharkhoda, Vikrant, J. deemed it fit to grant an ad-interim relief to the plaintiffs in the form of mandatory injunction and directed the defendants to immediately complete the construction of the road which had been left in between and to ensure removal of water logging and debris so that chances of road accidents are minimized.
Background
The plaintiffs were inhabitants of Kharkhoda and had their place of business and houses alongside the main road of the town which connected it to NH-334B. The Sub Divisional Judicial Court Complex and Mini Secretariat are located on one side of the road. The houses and shops of the plaintiffs and other inhabitants of Kharkhoda besides various banks are located on the other side.
The cause of action for filing the present suit was stated to be the neglectfulness of the Local bodies and the civil administration in constructing, repairing, and maintaining the main public road of the town as well as the cleanliness, hygiene, and sanitation in the area adjoining it.
It was submitted that the main road had been under construction for the past many months, and it was constructed in broken patches. It was also submitted that the construction work of the road and drain on both sides was left in between and that there was intense water logging on the road.
It was submitted that there was not just a continuous danger of severe road accidents or damage to vehicles but also a potent threat of spreading of infection and various diseases due to long-standing drain water. The petitioners contended that the Municipal Committee of Kharkhoda and the civil administration had failed to provide the basic facility to the general public.
It was also contended that the general public as well as the litigants who were coming to the Sub Divisional Judicial Court Complex and Mini Secretariat faced great difficulty in reaching the building and customers were unable to reach the shops of the plaintiffs due to the water logging which resulted in the loss of business. It was further pleaded that the drain water was spread all around the road because the Municipal Committee was not taking any responsibility for cleaning the road.
Analysis and Decision
The Court said that as a tribute to the father of the nation, the Prime Minister, on 02-10-2014, had started a nationwide cleanliness campaign named ‘Swachh Bharat’ on the occasion of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary. The objective of the said campaign was to provide sanitation facilities, waste disposal systems, and cleanliness along with a safe and adequate environment for the citizens of the nation.
The Court said that the Supreme Court had repeatedly mentioned that a clean and healthy environment is an essential aspect of the right to life and its violation is potentially a violation of the basic right to life.
The Court stated that the facts of the case have stirred up the Court to refer to the importance and need for cleanliness and safety of life in civil society. Further, it was stated that ordinarily, an interim relief in the form of mandatory injunction cannot be granted as it amounts to judgment before trial, but the same is not prohibited in law.
The Court mentioned that such a relief cannot be granted in every case and that the Court has to be its own guard before allowing such an application.
The Court found it important to mention that the Haryana Government observes not only the Swachh Bharat campaign started by the Central government but also the Swachh Haryana Swachh Bharat mission. It was also noted that the State government had issued guidelines that provide for the maintenance, cleaning, and sanitation of public roads and buildings to all urban local bodies which certainly included the Municipal Committee of Kharkhoda as well.
Likewise, the Court said that the civil administration including PWD is duty-bound to provide safe and constructed roads. Further, the Court stated that the act of the defendants in leaving a half-constructed road abandoned was a display of their insensitive approach to the public concerns and ignorance of the directives given by the State Government.
The Court considered the exigent state of affairs, the imperative need for a usable public passage free from water logging, and the cleanliness of the main road leading to the town from the NH-334B and deemed it fit to grant an ad-interim relief in the form of mandatory injunction considering larger public interest, health, and safety.
Accordingly, as an interim measure, the Court directed the defendants to immediately complete the construction of the road that had been left in between, and direction was also given to the defendants to ensure the removal of garbage, water logging, and debris from both sides of the road so that the chances of road accidents are minimized.
The matter was listed on 06-08-2024 for filing of written statement as well as for the submission of a compliance report.
[Ved Parkash v. State of Haryana, 2024 SCC OnLine Dis Crt (Haryana) 3, Decided on 30-07-2024]
Advocates who appeared in this case :
For Plaintiffs — Advocate Naveen Kumar
For Defendants — Advocate Indu, Anil Chahal (SDE, PWD), Advocate Pankaj Kumar, Pankaj Joon (Secretary, Municipal Committee)