DM South issues fresh orders, seal on Melli Sonam’s house to be opened

NAMCHI, 01 Dec: The District Magistrate [South], AK Singh, today issued fresh orders directing that the house of Nuk Tshering Bhutia, known as “Melli Sonam”, at Melli, sealed on his directions recently, be reopened. When contacted, the DM confirmed the development, and explained that the new directive was in accordance with the  order of the appellate authority passed yesterday.

The DM informed that a fresh notice has now been issued from his office, providing Mr. Bhutia with 30 days to approach the appropriate court and seek remedy on the notice [issued by the DM’s office] to vacate the premises since the construction was found by the district authorities to be encroaching of Forest and PWD land.
The DM further detailed that should Mr. Bhutia fail to approach the appropriate court within the prescribed 30 days and receive directions suggesting otherwise, another sealing order will be issued and the house could be sealed again.
This case, it may be recalled, has had its share of controversy with Mr. Bhutia winning a stay order from the High Court on the day that his house in Melli was sealed. This, in turn, has led to a contempt of court being heard against the DM and four other officials of the district.