IN THE HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH C.W.P.No.10113 of 2008 Date of Decision:- 28.01.2009 Mukhtiar Singh ....Petitioner(s) vs. State of Punjab and others ....Respondent(s) *** CORAM:- HON'BLE MR.JUSTICE AUGUSTINE GEORGE MASIH *** Present:- Mr.J.C.Verma, Sr.Advocate with Ms.Meenakshi Verma, Advocate for the petitioner. Mr.Vijay Kumar Chaudhary, AAG, Punjab for the respondents. *** AUGUSTINE GEORGE MASIH, J. (Oral) Reply by way of counter affidavit of Chaman Lal, PFS, Divisional Forest Officer, Gurdaspur has been filed wherein the claim of the petitioner stands admitted. It has further been averred that an amount of Rs.16,32,768/- has already been sanctioned by the Department of Forests vide letter dated 8.12.2008 for disbursement of the claim of the petitioner within two months through cheques/drafts. The sanction letter has been placed on record as Annexure R-1. A perusal of the same further shows that the Department has further taken a decision to initiate departmental proceedings and to fix the liability of the officials who were responsible for delayed submission of the bill for onward payment as per the award of the Labour Court. Counsel for the petitioner further submits that the Assistant C.W.P.No.10113 of 2008 -2- Labour Commissioner, Batala would be the appropriate Authority to disburse the said amount to the workman lest the workman would have to run from pillar to post to collect the claim which the respondents are now disbursing to him. He prays that a direction be issued to the respondents to deposit the claim of the workman with the Assistant Labour Commissioner, Batala for onward disbursement to the petitioner. Counsel for the respondents accepts the said submission of the counsel for the petitioner and states that the cheques /drafts would be deposited with the Assistant Labour Commissioner, Batala within a period of 45 days from today. Accordingly, this petition is disposed of with a direction to the respondents to deposit the bank drafts/cheques with the Assistant Commissioner, Batala within a period of 45 days for onward disbursement to the petitioner-workman. Mr.S.S.Sidhu, Assistant Labour Commissioner, Batala, who is present in Court, is directed to release the amount forthwith as and when the petitioner-workman approaches him for the said purpose. In case some of the workmen, had expired during the pendency of their claim, it would be open to the Assistant Labour Commissioner to verify their claims with regard to they being the legal representatives of the deceased workmen and after proper verification, the amount be disbursed in accordance with law. January 28, 2009 ( AUGUSTINE GEORGE MASIH ) poonam JUDGE Whether referred to Reporters ________ Yes/No