HIGH COURT OF PUNJAB AND HARYANA AT CHANDIGARH. *** CWP No. 20298 of 2008 *** Phool Chand Versus State of Haryana and others. *** Present: Shri Sandeep Sharma, Advocate, for the petitioner. *** This petition has been filed in public interest. It challenges a public notice issued by the Gram Panchayat Peerbholi, Block Sandhora District Yamuna Nagar whereby 1201 trees growing on land that falls in Village Udamgarh are sought to be sold in a public auction. A mandamus directing the respondents to hand over the trees to the Forest Department, Government of Haryana has also been prayed for. We have heard the leanred counsel for the petitioner at some length who has drawn our attention to a representation marked P-4 to the writ petition, made to the Deputy Commissioner, Yamuna Nagar against the proposed auction of the trees in question. He submits that although there is nothing on the record to show that any such representation was ever received or was actually filed before the Deputy Commissioner, the fact of the matter is that the same was handed over to the Deputy Commissioner by the villagers and that the Deputy Commissioner has neither examined the representation nor passed any order on the same. Mr. Sanjiv Kaushik, Addl: A.G.Haryana, who was directed to accept notice on behalf of respondents No. 1 to 4 submits that the Deputy Commissioner shall have no difficulty in examining the representation and taking appropriate steps in accordance with law to prevent any illegality or irregularity in the proposed auction of the trees. In the circumstances, therefore, we consider it unnecessary to keep the writ petition pending on our Board. The proper course appears to abe is to direct the Deputy Commissioner, Yamuna Nagar to look into the -2- CWP No. 20298 of 2008 representation P-4 and take appropriate steps in the matter so that no illegality or irregularity in relation to the cutting of trees against the provisions of law is committed by the Panchayat. The petitioner shall be free to appear before the Deputy Commissioner, Yamuna Nagar in support of the representation, a copy whereof shall be forwarded by the registry along with a copy of this order, to the Deputy Commissioner for compliance. This writ petition is accordingly disposed of with the above terms. The parties to bear their own costs. (T.S.Thakur) Chief Justice (Jasbir Singh) Judge December 02, 2008 Malik