Punjab Newsline, Shimla-
Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena emphasized the need for legal solutions to enhance the management of court cases within the Himachal Pradesh Public Works Department (HPPWD). He urged the department's officials to take personal responsibility for the cases they are handling until these are fully resolved. While the State Government has already constituted a Cabinet Sub-Committee to address this issue, the Chief Secretary stressed that proactive engagement by the concerned officers was equally important. He also advised them to stay alert to cases that are reported in the media.
The Chief Secretary was presiding over a day-long workshop organized by the HPPWD at its headquarters here today which aimed at capacity building and improving court case management.
He encouraged the officials to exchange best practices and insights with their counterparts in other states to explore effective strategies. “Arbitration alone should not be our only focus. Each case must be handled with seriousness and accountability,” he said. He further added that the workshop must conclude with concrete, actionable outcomes, which should be monitored for their effectiveness over time.
Saxena also called for minimizing delays and simplifying the procedural channels involved in case resolution. He highlighted that legislative measures could be a potential long-term solution to resolve longstanding cases. Due to more public awareness the number of court cases has risen significantly. “People today have a deeper understanding of their constitutional rights, which has led to an increase in litigation cases. This calls for better preparedness and systemic improvements,” he concluded.
While welcoming the dignitaries and participants, Secretary, Public Works Department, Dr. Abhishek Jain stated that the objective of today’s workshop was to deliberate on ways to reduce discrepancies in the handling of court cases within the PWD. He emphasized that the workshop focuses on knowledge and skill up-gradation, along with practical support for the officials involved in legal matters. Dr. Jain highlighted that the total financial liability arising from already decided and ongoing land acquisition cases has been tentatively estimated at ₹300 crore. The liability may rise to approximately ₹1,000 crore once all pending cases are considered. He stressed the importance of avoiding duplication of files in order to meet time-sensitive deadlines and emphasized reducing financial, compliance, and administrative costs.
During his address, Principal Secretary (Law), Sharad Kumar Lagwal, spoke about the nature of court cases being faced by the department. He remarked that it is the constitutional duty of the State to protect individual land rights. The State must ensure a proper and lawful transfer of land. While acquiring land, the department should ensure that it is free from all encumbrances, he added.
Special Secretary, PWD, Harbans Singh Brascon gave a presentation on the current scenario of court cases in the State. He elaborated on key challenges, including roads built on private land, lack of proper entries in revenue records, and legal claims for compensation by landowners. Currently, around 1,600 such cases are pending in various courts across the State.
Among other notable speakers were Retired Principal Secretary (Law) J.N. Barowalia, and District Attorney (HPPWD) Jagdish Rajta.
The post-lunch session featured panel discussions.
Advocate General, Anup Rattan emphasized on the need and importance of an effective case management system and suggested that replies to court cases should be drafted at the Headquarter level to ensure timely and appropriate defense. He stated that all departmental decisions must be backed by sound reasoning. He also discussed matters related to land acquisition and stressed that engineers of the department should acquaint themselves with the Arbitration Act.
He also distributed certificates of participation.