PUNJAB AND HARYANA HIGH COURT, CHANDIGARH. *** CWP No. 14004 of 2009. Date of decision: September 08, 2009. *** Arthia Association, New Grain Vs. State of Punjab and others. Market, Jalandhar City *** CORAM: Hon'ble Mr. Justice T.S.Thakur, Chief Justice and Hon'ble Mr. Justice Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia. *** Present: Ms. Jatinder Jit Kaur, Advocate, for the petitioner. *** T.S.Thakur, Chief Justice (Oral) Issue notice of motion. Mr. H.S.Sidhu, Addl: A.G.Punjab accepts notice on behalf of respondent No.1. Keeping in view the order we propose to make, notice to respondents No. 2 and 3 is dispensed with. This petition has been filed in Public Interest. It prays for a mandamus directing the respondents to provide adequate space for traders and farmers in the New Grain Market in Jalandhar City to enable the Arthias (Commission Agents) and the farmers making use of the said market to conduct their transactions in a manner more conducive to efficient working of the market. The petitioner's case appears to be that because of the manifold increase in the number of Arthias making use of the market as also the increase in the number of transactions they have to enter into and the turn over of the market, the existing arrangements and facilities including space have started proving insufficient causing inconvenience to the Arthias as also to the farmers who are supposed to benefitted from the market. The petitioner's further case is that representations made by the association to the Government as at Annexure P-3 to the petition has also proved futile in as much as neither the government nor the Mandi Board nor even the Market Committee have taken cognizance of the said representations nor any other steps have -2- CWP No. 14004 of 2009. been taken to improve the working condition in the market. A mandamus directing the respondents to take adequate steps in the matter has in that back drop been prayed for. Learned counsel for the petitioner argued that instead of keeping this writ petition pending, the same could be disposed off with a direction to the State Government to convene a meeting of the representatives of the Punjab Mandi Board and the Market Committee as also the petitioner's association to identify the areas in which improvements are required to be made and to take necessary steps in the direction of making such improvements. Mr. Sidhu, counsel appearing for respondent No.1 was not averse to any such direction being issued as the same would not only give an opportunity to the State Government to consider and examine the issue regarding the adequacy of the space, other requirements and facilities but also take steps for removal of the deficiencies, if any, noticed in the same. In the circumstances therefore we dispose of this writ petition with a direction that the Secretary to Government of Punjab, Department of Agriculture shall convene a meeting inviting representatives of the Punjab Mandi Board, Market Committee, Jalandhar and the petitioner's association to take stock of the conditions prevailing in the New Grain Market, Jalandhar City and take what ever steps are required to be taken in the matter to provide better facilities to those making use of the said market. The needful shall be done within a period of six months from today. No costs. (T.S.Thakur) Chief Justice September 08, 2009 (Kanwaljit Singh Ahluwalia) Malik Judge