Calcutta High Court disposes of PIL against blockage of irrigation canal in East Midnapur dist

The Calcutta High Court disposed of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) which alleged private respondents have obstructed the flow of a canal by raising illegal construction resulting in farmers being denied water for irrigation.

It is alleged that the private respondents by raising illegal construction have also blocked the excess water outlet of ‘Purba Math’ adversely affecting the interest of the cultivators.

The counsel for the petitioners has submitted that the representation dated 23.07.2019 has already been made to the respondent No.2 (The District Magistrate, Purba Midnapur), but no action has been taken till now.

The counsel for the State has assured the High Court that the representation of the petitioners will be duly considered.

Hence, the Division Bench of Chief Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Justice Rajarshi Bharadwaj disposed of the present petition directing the respondent No.2 to duly consider the petitioners’ representation and take appropriate decision after giving an opportunity of hearing to all the concerned parties.

‘Let this exercise be completed within a period of 3 months from the date receipt of the copy of this order.

Petitioners are directed to submit a fresh copy of the representation along with the copy of this order to the respondent No.2,’ the Court directed.