While hearing the case of the demolition of the Aguvani Ghat bridge being built on the river Ganga near Bhagalpur, the High Court directed the state government to give the details of the action being taken in this regard on an affidavit. On Wednesday, a division bench of Chief Justice Vinod Chandran and Justice Partha Sarathi gave this direction while simultaneously hearing two separate public interest litigations filed by advocates Manibhushan Sengar and Lalan Kumar regarding the matter. After hearing all the parties, the court has fixed the date of next hearing on August 12.
Government will file counter affidavit within two weeks
The court told both the parties that whatever counter affidavit will be filed by the government within two weeks, if the petitioner wants, he can answer it within the next two weeks so that the matter can be heard on August 12 at all costs.
MD was instructed to appear in the court
Earlier, during the summer vacation, a single bench of Justice Purnendu Singh, taking a serious stand in this matter, had asked for an answer while directing the MD of the manufacturing company to appear in the court on June 21. The court directed the bridge manufacturing company to give a detailed report and said that it should give complete information to the court, in which complete details of the length of the bridge, DPR, soil quality etc. are available. The court had also summoned the action taken report from the government in this matter.
Retired judge requested to investigate
The court directed the petitioner Lalan Kumar to also make SP Singla, the company doing the construction work, a respondent in his petition, so that an answer could be sought from him. It was told on behalf of the petitioner that this bridge has been broken again due to poor work of the construction company and installation of substandard material. The construction work of the bridge is being done at a cost of Rs 1700 crore. The petitioner requested the High Court to get the matter investigated by any independent agency or any retired judge.
