HC orders two officials to deposit Rs 25K each

The high court has asked two government officials to deposit Rs 25,000 each for failing to respond to an emergency notice issued six month ago.

Justice Vineeth Kothari on Wednesday asked Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Health Officer (Vijayanagar division) and the secretary of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board to deposit the money with the high court registrar general.

He was hearing a petition filed by Nirmala and Shanmugham, the owners of an electrical switch manufacturing unit. The petitioners, both from Cholara Palya in Vijayanagar, said BBMP and KSPCB officials dismissed the licence of their small-scale industry without giving any notice or reason. Bescom disconnected power supply, too.

The high court issued an emergent notice to officials to respond.

But even after six months, they failed to reply to it. Expressing anger at officials, the judge on Wednesday asked the officers to deposit the money and file their responses within a week.

Justice Kothari also observed that BBMP and KSPCB officials were deliberately troubling the public.