HC orders aerial survey of Sanjay Van with drones as videos show illegal encroachment

The Delhi High Court Wednesday directed the authorities to conduct an aerial survey of Sanjay Van here with the use of drones with cameras after taking cognisance of two social media videos showing alleged illegal encroachments.

The Delhi High Court Wednesday directed the authorities to conduct an aerial survey of Sanjay Van here with the use of drones with cameras after taking cognizance of two social media videos showing alleged illegal encroachments. A bench of Justices Vipin Sanghi and Rajnish Bhatnagar, conducting the hearing through video conferencing, took suo moto cognizance of the video and initiated a PIL on its own.

"We have come across two video clippings which are being circulated on social media in relation to the alleged encroachment in the Sanjay Van. Taking cognizance of the same, we are inclined to register a PIL suo moto,” the bench said. The high court issued notices to the Centre, the Delhi government, Delhi Police and Delhi Development Authority (DDA) seeking their responses on the issue.

“We direct the DDA, as well as the Delhi Police (under the signatures of the concerned (DCP) to file their respective status reports. The status report to be filed by the DDA should clearly state as to how many Mazars are in existence and since when. They should also conduct an aerial survey of the entire Sanjay Van with the use of Drones with cameras,” the bench said. It also directed the DDA to ensure that no encroachment takes place within the Sanjay Van by any person, for any purpose, and if any encroachment is existing or is made, it should be removed without any delay and government land should be secured.

The bench asked the police to render all assistance and provide the necessary force for the purpose if called for by the DDA. Sanjay Van is a forest area near Vasant Kunj and Mehrauli in South Delhi.

The notices were accepted by central government standing counsel Arun Bhardwaj for the Ministry of Urban Development, Delhi government standing counsel (criminal) Rahul Mehra, and advocate Chaitanya Gosain for the state government and Delhi Police and advocate Arjun Pant for DDA. The DDA’s counsel submitted that these video clips have been doing the rounds for about a month. He said he has instructions to say that today morning a visit was made by the senior officers of the DDA and no encroachment has taken place in the Sanjay Van and that some Mazars are existing within the area.

The court listed the matter before the division bench headed by Chief Justice for further directions on July 29.

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