The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
Haryana House passes bill: 3-yr jail, fine for those who damage state roads
THE HARYANA Assembly on Friday passed a bill criminalising damage to state roads.
The law provides for a threeyear imprisonment and a fine for violators. The passage of the bill coincides with Jat agitators’ sitins and dharnas near national highways and state roads in Haryana to demand reservation in jobs and education.
The bill was one of the 12 laws passed in the Assembly without any resistance and detailed discussion. Most opposition MLAS had left the Assembly by the time the bill was tabled on Friday afternoon.
The government argued that a law protects the national highways but there was no specific legislation for safeguard state roads. “Although, there are some Indian Penal Code provisions associated with the protection of the public property, but they are quite general and not specific,” said Public Works Minister Rao Narbir Singh in the draft bill of the Haryana Road Infrastructure Protection Bill, 2017.
Officials said the bill was passed to implement a systematic approach towards better utilisation and management of road infrastructure and enhancement of security. “The Act will also check fraudulent activity and unauthorised access to roads and provide safeguards for infrastructure,’’ said Singh.
“It also aims to provide legal framework so that legal sanctity is accorded to authorities for checking all types of intrusions and unauthorised access to roads,” he said.
The law prohibits encroachment and damage to roads in any form. It bans unauthorised hoardings and welcome gates on roads as well.
Among the other laws, the Haryana Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Bill 2017 makes the use of the ID document a must for delivery of government benefits, subsidies and services.
The Haryana Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2017, has provisions for giving proper opportunity for personal hearing to all candidates before deciding cases of disqualification under Section 8 (Disqualifications of Members) and Section 9 (Election to the Corporation) of the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994.
The Haryana Private Universities (Amendment) Bill 2017 was passed to amend the Haryana Private Universities Act, 2006. Officials said the amended Act will encourage sponsoring bodies with experience of running educational institutions to set up private varsities. The law makes it mandatory to have minimum five acres of land for setting up the varsity.