Patna,(BiharTimes): The division bench of Justice Navin Sinha and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah of the Patna High Court on Thursday pulled up the State Urban Development and Housing Department (UDHD) for what it said “thwarting” the court’s proceedings.

It needs to be recalled that one month back the State Rural Works Department, on the request of the UDHD secretary, deputed four engineers to Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) to conduct inspection of the buildings, which violated the by-laws of the civic body. But on Tuesday the Rural Works Department withdrew these four engineers on the plea that their tenure is over.

But while hearing the Public Interest Litigation of Narendra Mishra the bench said: “We are constrained to get an impression that the secretary UDHD is deliberately taking such steps to derail the PMC from complying with the court’s order.”

The PMC had earlier informed the court about the shortage of hands to conduct inspection of the buildings. Upon this the court had ordered the UDHD secretary to coordinate among different departments and provide adequate manpower to the PMC to conduct the inspection. Along with other officials, the Rural Works department deputed four engineers.

The court observed that it was an extremely serious matter and that the department intended to derail its proceeding.

The bench said that the officials should be deputed for at least three years and demanded a counter-affidavit from the UDHD secretary assuring that the court’s order would be complied with.

Upon this the UDHD filed a counter affidavit mentioning that four members of the proposed municipal building tribunal have been nominated. The two benches of the tribunal will become functional as soon as the chairman is appointed.