HC seeks details of development charges collected in Gurgaon

CHANDIGARH: A Punjab and Haryana high court bench on Monday directed the Haryana government to submit year-wise details of external development charges (EDC) collected in Gurgoan and its utilisation.

The direction came from the HC bench of justice SS Saron and justice Lisa Gill as it found the state government and the Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA) taking contradictory stands.

The high court bench of justices SS Saron and Lisa Gill were hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed in 2002, alleging inadequate spending by the government on civic infrastructure in the Millennium City in proportion to the EDC collected.

The EDC is levied on colonisers who obtain the licence from the government for development of land in urban estates developed by HUDA. It is to be spent on development of civic infrastructure of a particular area and can’t be diverted elsewhere.

Following heavy rain on July 28, which left city inundated this monsoon and commuters stranded for hours, an application was filed in the matter, highlighting the problems of the city and seeking directions to the government to take appropriate measures.

The government submitted the amount more than ₹13,000 crore, but the year-wise break was not available. However, appearing for the petitioner, senior adovate ML Sarin pointed towards a 2005 affidavit of then financial commissioner, who had told the court that a separate account of the EDC was being maintained. Later, the matter was posted for further hearing on December 20.