The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has directed the concerned tehsildar to ensure removal of illegal encroachments from the Gomti riverbed. The order was passed while hearing a petition alleging unlawful occupation of land by the Neelansh Group.
Court Issues Notices
The court also issued notices to the Neelansh Group and directed it to file a counter affidavit by July 7. A bench comprising Chief Justice Arun Bhansali and Justice Jaspreet Singh passed the order on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by one Deepak Shukla in 2024.
Delays in Proceedings
The court observed that despite admission of illegal encroachment in the river area, proceedings were being delayed. The bench directed the tehsildar to complete pending proceedings without further delay.
Petitioner's Allegations
The petitioner alleged that the Neelansh Group had illegally occupied and commercially exploited portions of the Gomti riverbed in Badaiya and Tikri Kalan villages. He stated that the Malihabad Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) had passed an order on January 20, 2020, directing removal of the encroachment, but the order had not been executed.
Government's Response
The state government informed the court that proceedings under Section 67 of the Uttar Pradesh Revenue Code regarding the land were pending. The court has taken note of this and will hear the matter further after the submission of the counter affidavit.
