No prior notice to encroachers on public land: SC

New Delhi, May 12 (UNI) Sealing the fate of slum dwellers (residents in Delhi, the Supreme Court today made it clear that no prior notice was required for removing on public land.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal, Mrs Justice Ruma Pal, Mr Justice B N Srikrishna and Mr Justice G P Mathur, while dismissing the petition filed by Sajha Manch, observed thet the slum dwellers were occupying public land.'' What sort of infrastructure can they be given. They shall be given no notice,'' they said.

The Chief Justice also remarked ''if they occupy land outside Supreme Court, one hour notice shall be sufficient.'' The PIL was seeking stay against the removal of JJ clusters in Vikas Puri and Jahagirpuri.

Earlier, Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner, that removal of these clusters without any prior notice was not only illegal but was also violative of human rights.

The counsel also contended that the residents of jhuggi jhopri (JJ) clusters belonged to the lowest strata of society and they cannot be removed without relocation to a place having all basic civic amenities like water, electricity, public conveniences etc.

UNI AKS/SC SHB RN1628