NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought an explanation from the Mayawati government for allegedly constructing unauthorised structures at the old jail premises in Lucknow in violation of its order.

The Apex Court has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to file an affidavit within two weeks listing the construction activities it was undertaking at the 195-acre eco-park located on Lucknow’s Jail road. The park is being developed on the land where the old jail of Lucknow city existed earlier. The land for the park was made available after the old jail was shifted to new premises set up at Mohanlal Ganj on the outskirts of the city.
The Apex Court Bench of Mr Justice P Sathasivam and Mr Justice A R Dave rejected the Uttar Pradesh government’s plea that it was only constructing boundary walls and public utilities. “Photographs show many structures. It looks like a dam site. Why are you wasting so much of cement and steel if they are meant only for a boundary wall?” asked Mr Justice Sathasivam who is heading the Bench.
The Bench made it clear that it was not convinced by the arguments of senior counsel Mr Krishan Venugopal, appearing for the state government, that construction pertained to only public utilities. “We are not able to accept it that it is a boundary wall. You have to explain the present position, the way in which material is dumped shows that they are constructing a huge structure. You cannot bypass our order,” the Bench observed.
The Supreme Court Bench issued the direction to the state government on an application filed by an advocate, Mr Sangam Lal Pandey. According to Mr Pandey, the Apex Court had on September 8, 2009, and again on November 6, 2009, by separate orders restrained the state government from constructing any monuments or memorials at the place.
Mr Pandey alleged that in the name of constructing a boundary wall, entrance and public convenience, the state government was undertaking huge construction in the green area. He told the court that concrete structures were being constructed in the park which would be subsequently used to put up statues. He said that the park was being so developed that one portion of it would integrate with the adjoining Manyavar Kanshiram Samarak Sthal. He said that this was contrary to the undertaking given by the state government in the Apex Court saying that 195 acres of the old jail land would be used only for developing the eco-park.
The court was told that though the government claims to be developing a green area, it had cut 8,000 old trees which could have been integrated in the eco-park. The petitioner told the court that the government had given an undertaking in court that it would not demolish the old jail building but it has already levelled three big ponds in the complex.