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Razing of huts along pipelines: Rakesh Maria gets Bombay High Court notice for inaction

The action by the division of bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Anil Menon came after counsel S U Kamdar, who represented the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, informed the court that despite several written requests, the police had not provided them protection during demolition drives.

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City police chief Rakesh Maria
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The Bombay High Court has issued notices to city police chief Rakesh Maria and senior inspectors of police stations that have so far failed to provide police assistance to civic officials while carrying out demolition of illegal hutments along both sides of water pipelines.

The action by the division of bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice Anil Menon came after counsel S U Kamdar, who represented the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, informed the court that despite several written requests, the police had not provided them protection during demolition drives.

The high court was hearing an application filed by the civic body in a pending public interest litigation (PIL) of 2006 seeking action against illegal encroachments near water pipelines in the city. In 2009, the high court had ordered for removal of over 15,000 hutments, which are on the pipelines or adjacent to it.

Kamdar informed the court that phase I of the demolition drive was complete and a compound wall had been constructed. During the second phase, Kamdar said, the corporation staff had tried to demolish the shanties, but were faced with agitation and stone pelting. "We wrote several letters to the police seeking their protection, but to no avail."

The court then directed Maria to be added as a respondent in the PIL and also the officers in-charge of the police stations that failed to provide police protection to the civic staff. The respondents have been asked to reply by September 20.

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