Row over land: Chhattisgarh HC asks Health Minister TS Singh Deo to file reply to a petition

The petition filed in the high court stated that "the land in Shivsagar, Maulvi Talab Dam, in the middle of the city spread over an area of 52.06 acres was in the name of TS Singh Deo, which was sold". The organisation Tarunir Samiti filed a petition in the High Court on March 20 urging the court to make the minister, a party to the case.

Bilaspur:TheChhattisgarh High Court while hearing a petition filed against Health Minister TS Singh Deo, asked the latter to file a reply in person or on behalf of his counsel by April 11. An organisation, Tarunir Samiti, working for the protection of the environment had filed the petition in the High Court alleging that the minister after filling the ancient tank, sold the land.

The petition filed in the High Court stated that "the plot in Shivsagar, Maulvi Talab Dam, in the middle of the city spread over an area of 52.06 acres was in the name of TS Singh Deo, which was sold". The organisation Tarunir Samiti filed a petition in the High Court on March 20 urging the court to make the minister, a party to the case.

The bench of the High Court comprising Justice Goutam Bhaduri and Justice NK Chandravanshi, after hearing the petition asked the minister, to file a reply to the notice in the stipulated time or the court will take an ex-parte decision. On the other hand, Chhattisgarh Health Minister TS Singh Deo told ETV Bharat that, "The land in Shiv Sagar Dam area is an ancestral property. The ownership of the said land was mentioned in the treaty signed between the Government of India and the Surguja royal family in 1947."

"In 2017, the Tarunir Samiti brought the matter about the said land before the State government. Then the Collector had rejected the complaint and submitted the final report to the government." "Besides, the petition was also rejected by the National Green Tribunal in 2018. In 2019, the NGT dismissed the case, giving a full stop over the disputed piece of land."

"Again, it appears that I was being made a party to the case by the Tarunir Samiti. The issue is pending in the High Court. The matter is subjudice. Hence, I don't want to comment much on the issue," the minister added.