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Saturday, November 16, 2013

High Court admits 3 PILs filed by public and Pipon of Lachen

GANGTOK, 15 Nov:The High Court of Sikkim admitted three Public Interest Litigations [PILs] on 11 November after it received three letter petitions forwarded from the Supreme Court judge, who was in Sikkim on a personal visit in the first week of November.
The public and Pipon of Lachen have submitted three letter petitions highlighting their grievances before Supreme Court Judge, Justice AR Dave, who visited Lachen in North Sikkim on 04 November. The petitions urge him to pass appropriate orders or directions to the concerned authorities for immediate action.
Justice Dave had forwarded the letter petitions to the High Court directing them to take appropriate action. The High Court examined the letter petitions and admitted all the three petitions and directed the central and state government authorities to respond within six weeks.
In the first letter petition, the public and Pipon of Lachen have requested for grant of favourable order for non-construction of tunnels from Lachen to Tso Lhamu in North Sikkim. It mentions that the Indian Army had constructed a tunnel at Rugrab, North Sikkim for their own purpose without the consent of the local people.
The letter petition further states that the construction of the said tunnel had led to several natural disasters and damaged properties belonging to the public of the locality. It is added that the land is very religious and the public of the area regularly conduct pujas and religious ceremonies there.
In the second letter petition, the public of Lachen have sought Apex Court direction for early completion of the sanctioned road carpeting work from Chungthang to Thangu. This was reportedly sanctioned by the central government back in 2012 but till date no work has taken place, the letter petition states.
It states that the road starting from Chungthang to Thangu, especially beyond Lachen, is in very poor condition which has adversely affected tourism in the area.
In the third letter petition, the public and Pipon of Lachen have requested for an increase in the rent paid to land owners there by the Army for the land it occupies in the area.
The letter states that private lands at Lachen, Thangu, Yongdi, Kalep, Yathang, Samdong and Chaten has been occupied by the Indian Army for a long time and the army does not pay rent in accordance with the present value of the land.
It further states that they have approached the concerned authority several times regarding this and no action has been taken till date.
The public and Pipon have also requested that the concerned authorities be directed to either acquire the occupied land or else vacate it.

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