MP High Court Refuses To Entertain PIL Claiming No Fire Brigade In Jabalpur Cantonment, Lack Of Amenities For Sanitation Staff
The Madhya Pradesh Excessive Court docket on Tuesday (July 01) refused to entertain a PIL which amongst different points claimed that Jabalpur Cantonment Board doesn’t have a fireplace brigade and doesn’t present primary facilities to contractual sanitation staff which had been acknowledged to belong to a specific neighborhood.
In doing so the court docket stated that if the petitioner who can also be a sanitation employee and belongs to the identical neighborhood may method the court docket, so can the affected staff.
The counsel thus sought to withdraw the plea which was permitted by the bench of Performing Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf, and it additional granted him liberty to file a contemporary plea on behalf of the involved communities.
Through the listening to the counsel showing for the petitioner submitted, “Within the arrange of Cantonment board Jabalpur there is no such thing as a fireplace brigade no fireplace fighters…primary facilities aren’t there“.
He additional argued that Jabalpur cantonment board recruits safai karamcharis i.e. sanitation staff on contract foundation, and they aren’t given any facilities which they’re entitled to.
The bench requested, “This can be a PIL or non-public petition? You’re a safai karmi. The second you say safai karmi’s aren’t being given this, which means you’re looking for profit for your self“.
The counsel stated that the petitioner belongs to the involved neighborhood however doesn’t work in institution of cantonment board. The court docket then orally requested that when was the final time a fireplace came about.
The counsel stated, “My own residence was burned in 2011“. The bench requested, “What occurred in 2025?“
The counsel submitted, “They don’t have one (fireplace brigade) even immediately. The one given by Nagar Nigam has been returned again to them. They don’t even have fireplace fighters“.
At this stage the bench requested, “Is it obligatory to have fireplace station? So each housing colony ought to have a fireplace station?“
The counsel responded, “An establishment which is given a statutory accountability to supply civil facilities in a locality that’s cantonment…It’s not a housing colony it’s cantonment board. It’s a residential space”. He stated that board is underneath the Union of India.
On the court docket’s question the counsel stated that board requires fireplace brigade from municipal company which is 7 km away, nonetheless the cantonment has a Police station and hospitals.
The counsel showing for the cantonment board stated, “If there’s a main fireplace, we’re within the defence…defence has one of many largest services to struggle fireplace…We’re managing civilian areas of sophistication A land. It’s there in Defence Property itself. Class A land is Union of India’s land which the military is occupying it. Class B lands are these…the place civilians can come and dwell in. Historically all through all over the place municipal ambulances are working. When there’s a main fireplace on the town defence fireplace fighters go there“.
The court docket then requested the petitioner’s counsel concerning the prayers within the PIL, to which the counsel submitted that sanitation staff aren’t being supplied with security guards and aren’t given over time, amongst different points.
The court docket stated that the employees can increase these points on their very own. It orally stated, “Their (board’s) workers will increase the grievance in opposition to their employer. PIL is for somebody who both has no data, training or monetary assets to method the court docket. You might be submitting this for all safai karmis engaged by them (cantonment board). You might be your self a safai karmi. So why can’t they file their very own non-public petition. We will perceive for individuals who don’t have anything, no means, no training…and on their behalf a PIL is filed. You might be submitting for someone who has the capability. When you’ve got the data additionally they have data. Why can’t they file?“.
The counsel submitted that he’s the president of a neighborhood and his neighborhood members had been struggling.
“If there’s a labour dispute, you increase a labour dispute…You can not file it in your title…You have got filed in your title as a person. If plea is maintainable as an affiliation it may be filed in that title,” the court docket orally stated.
At this stage the counsel sought depart to withdraw the plea which was permitted.
The court docket in its order stated, “Discovered counsel for petitioner seeks depart of this Court docket to withdraw this petition with liberty to file a contemporary petition on behalf of Dumar, Dom & Mahato Communities. Petition is accordingly dismissed as withdrawn. All rights and contentions of the events are reserved”.
Case title: DILEEP MEHTO Vs. UNION OF INDIAN
WP – 23453/2025 (PIL)
