Guj HC notice to AUDA over illegal construction by school

The Gujarat High Court today issued a notice to Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA) on a PIL which contended that the urban body took no action against a school which encroached upon a public park and playground.
The division bench headed by Chief Justice R Subhash Reddy issued the notice to AUDA and sought its reply on the status of the land which was shown in its final town-planning scheme as a "park and playground" and posted the matter for hearing on January 17.
Petitioner Shailesh Maheshwari contended that a primary school, Nirma Vidyavihar, in violation of agreement norms, carried out illegal construction over a piece of land adjoining the school building which was designated as a park and playground for the locals in Bodakdev locality.

The petition alleged that the school constructed a wall around the ground and also dumped the soil excavated during the construction of the school in it in 2008-09.
It also installed CCTV cameras at the park and used it as a parking lot for its vehicles, it alleged.
As per the agreement with AUDA, the school was allowed to use the plot of land as a playground for its students during school hours and as an open park after that.
AUDA even served notices to the school five times in 2010 threatening action, but nothing happened.
The matter has drawn the interest of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as its leader and Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia visited the agitating residents of the locality over the issue during his Gujarat visit on Monday.