Allahabad High Court has asked Ghaziabad Development Authority not to register any sale deed unless the parties applying for the same complied with the conditions laid down by the District Magistrate.
It warned that the concerned officials "who register such sale deeds, shall be held personally responsible".
The order was passed yesterday by a Division Bench comprising Justice Sunil Ambwani and Justice Surya Prakash Kesarwani on a Public Interest Litigation of Sachin Yadav, who had contended that notwithstanding directions issued by the District Magistrate in his letter to the Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) in July, "sale deeds are being presented and registered, transferring plots of lands in colonies which are not authorised and for which layout plans have not been sanctioned by Ghaziabad Development Authority".
The petitioner had further submitted that the unauthorised colonies were "putting a strain on the development of the district" as these did not have proper sewer lines and supply of drinking water and electricity.
This, the petitioner had claimed, was also likely to cause "serious environmental issues" in the city, which is in the neighbourhood of the national capital.
"We find that the petitioner has raised an important public issue in this writ petition, which calls for direction for compliance and monitoring," the court said, adding, "let a counter affidavit be filed by all the respondents within four weeks. Rejoinder affidavit will be filed within one week."
Fixing October 11 as the next date of hearing, the court "in the mean time" directed all officials concerned to "strictly comply with the letter of the District Magistrate".
