"Why are you permitting total anarchy in Sabzi Mandi?" asked Chief Justice Sheel Nagu

Punjab and Haryana High on its Own Motion V/S UT Chandigarh, Through Its Chief Secretary, Chandigarh

Punjab and Haryana High on its Own Motion V/S UT Chandigarh Latest News Update: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Wednesday took suo motu cognizance of the deplorable conditions prevailing in Chandigarh's Sector 26 Vegetable Market, sharply questioning the UT Administration over its inaction. 

"Why are you permitting total anarchy in Sabzi Mandi?" asked Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry from administration.

Counsel appearing for the administration Aman Pal submitted, "We are in process of shifting the market to Sector 39 but the process of e-auction has been stayed by the Supreme Court."

The suo moto cognisance was taken on a newspaper report which stated that, "stinking garbage heaps, muddy roads and encroachments welcome visitors to the fruit and vegetable mandi in Sector 26."

Amid the continued apathy, the market road, street lights and other infrastructure has also deteriorated to a point where it is unusable, it added.

The UT Administration has failed to act on its plan to shift the Sector 26 mandi to the New Grain Market in Sector 39 for the past 30 years. The project was first conceptualised in 1996, the news article reported.

The Supreme Court in April stayed the e-auction of shops and showrooms in the new Sector 39 vegetable market. The development comes after the Sector 26 Sabzi Mandi Arhtiya Association (commission agents) filed a plea against the auction, contending that the Chandigarh Estate Rules, which govern the auction, should not be applied to a mandi where shop usage is restricted. 

While adjourning the matter to August 19, the Court asked the UT to file its response.

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