HC seeks status report from Delhi govt on plea against mohalla clinic on park land

The Delhi High Court on Thursday sought a status report from the Delhi government on a petition against a mohalla clinic coming up on the land of a park in the Govindpuri area of the national capital.

Justice V Kameswar Rao directed Advocate Satyakam, Additional Standing Counsel for Delhi Government to file a status report within four weeks. The matter has been listed for hearing on April 21, 2022.

The bench observed, "The grievance of the petitioner is the construction of the mohalla clinic in a park. It was informed that in the earlier round of the petitions the operation of car parking by a private person was disallowed by the Court. It had directed the restoration of greenery. Since then the land was used as a public park."

The court has allowed the authorities to construct the mohalla clinic without encroaching on the park or the green area.

The bench sought the status report on the petition moved by Kailash Gupta, a resident of Govindpuri, through Advocate Vinit Chaddha.

The counsel for the petitioner argued that there is a park for the last ten years, the government officials dismantled it. Now, they want a mohalla clinic on this land and the park is being encroached.

On the other hand, Advocate Satyakam objected asking whose park is this? whose land is encroached? who is the petitioner?

The Court asked him to examine whether is there any encroachment.

Advocate Satyakam sought some time to get the complete details. The Court asked him to file a status report saying do the work without encroaching the park without ensuring that there will no go ahead.

The petition stated that in the first week of February, large-scale excavation work was noticed in the park. On inquiry, it was revealed that the Delhi Government and public work department had passed an order to convert the park into a mohalla clinic.The petition stated that the officer present on the spot was apprised about the previous order of the court but he refused to do the needful. The assistant engineer asked the SHO concerned for police protection for continuing the work.

The petition stated that the petitioner and other residents of the area approached the SHO, but he expressed his helplessness in the matter.

( With inputs from ANI )