HC imposes cost on PIL petitioner

Indore, Apr 12 (UNI) The Madhya Pradesh High Court has dismissed a public interest litigation relating to land acquisition for setting up Special Economic Zone in Indore and imposed cost of Rs 15,000 on the petitioners saying an effort has been made to play foul with the basic norms of PIL.

''We are disposed to think that it is a petition in the guise to aid and assist the developers for some unfathomable purpose which patently does not have the remotest nexus with public interest'', said the court's Indore bench comprising Mr Justice Dipak Misra and Mr Justice A M Sapre in its order issued yesterday.

''Since the petitioners have abused the powerful weapon meant for public good, we impost costs of Rs 15,000'', the court said.

The issue relates to acquisition of land for setting up Special Economic Zone in Indore and the memoranda of understanding (MOU) signed by the state government with many investors.

The PIL, filed by Mr Chandra Shekhar Dangaonkar and reitred IPS officer Surjit Singh, stated that the city of Indore could lose the benefit of commerce and industrialisation if the M P Housing Board and Indore Development Authority were allowed to get their schemes fructified and take over the land.

''An endeavour has been made to protect the interest of the developers. If any developer is effected by framing of the scheme of MPHB and IDA, he can always agitate its grievance by taking recourse to law'', the court said, adding ''the present litigation does not fresco a cause that is meant for the poor, downtrodden and disabled''.

UNI AA-SP 1106