Civil Writ Petition No.2286 of 2007 -: 1 :- IN THE HIGH COURT FOR THE STATES OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH Civil Writ Petition No.2286 of 2007 Date of decision: September 02, 2008. Iqbal Singh Kalsi ...Petitioner(s) v. U.T. Chandigarh & Ors. ...Respondent(s) CORAM: HON'BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE HON'BLE MR. JUSTICE SURYA KANT 1. Whether Reporters of local papers may be allowed to see the judgment ? 2. Whether to be referred to the Reporters or not ? 3. Whether the judgment should be reported in the Digest? Present: Petitioner in person. Ms. Alka Chatrath, Advocate, for respondent – UT Chandigarh. ORDER T.S. Thakur, CJ. - (Oral): We have heard the petitioner, in person, at some length. We have also gone through the status report submitted by the Superintending Engineer, Project P.H. Circle, Chandigarh. According to the said report the solution suggested by the petitioner, even when tried, has not helped in preventing accumulation of water in the area. The Engineer's report reads:- “On persistent demand of the petitioner, it was agreed that an open katcha channel may be dug out as proposed by the petitioner and the flow of water through open channel may be observed at least during one rainfall. Accordingly, a katcha Civil Writ Petition No.2286 of 2007 -: 2 :- channel was dug out on 18.8.08 to 20.8.08. The pattern of flow in the dug up channel was observed during the rainfall on 21.8.08 by Sh. V.K. Arora, Executive Engineer and Sh. S.K. Chhabra, SDE. The rainfall occurred on 21.8.08 only for a period of 35 to 40 minutes and the water level in the natural choe touched the bed of open katcha drain dug out for this purpose. Keeping in view the water level in natural choe during rainfall of only 45 minutes, it can very well be apprehended that water level in the natural choe will further rise in case of rainfall for a longer duration than 45 minutes. The rise in water level in natural choe will lead to flow of water from natural choe towards adjoining area thereby endangering the public and private property and lives.” In the light of the above, we have no option but to dispose of this petition with the observation that if the Engineers can provide any solution to prevent water-logging in the area in question, they shall work upon the same and take necessary steps in that direction to prevent inconvenience to the residents of the area including Mother Teresa's Missionaries of Charity establishment which is located in the vicinity. No costs. [ T.S. Thakur ] Chief Justice September 02, 2008. [ Surya Kant ] kadyan Judge