The Chief Justice personally stepped out in the rain to evaluate the damage to over 5,000 case files stored in the basement of the old district court building in Sector 17. The flooding caused significant harm to these important records, raising concerns about the preservation of legal documents.
New Delhi: In a swift response to the recent flooding caused by heavy rainfall, the Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Sheel Nagu, took the initiative to personally assess the damage inflicted on thousands of case files stored in the basement of the old district court building in Sector 17, Chandigarh.
Between 5,000 to 6,000 High Court case files stored in the basement of the old district court building in Sector 17 suffered damage due to flooding triggered by heavy rainfall on Sunday. The heavy downpour caused sewage backflow, leading to significant flooding in the basement.
These record rooms house approximately 2 million case files, many of which document resolved cases spanning several decades. Following the rainfall, security guards conducted a routine inspection of the basement, which also accommodates Chandigarh’s Arbitration Centre. To their alarm, they discovered about a foot of water had accumulated in the area, with thousands of case files now submerged and vulnerable to significant damage.
After the heavy rain, security guards inspected the basement, which also contains Chandigarh’s Arbitration Centre, and found that about a foot of water had accumulated, damaging thousands of files.
The flooding left stacks of case files, some of which date back decades, soaked and at risk of further deterioration. The waterlogged area reportedly caused by an overflow of sewage and toilets in the basement.
Upon receiving the information, the security staff promptly alerted High Court officials. In response, Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Sheel Nagu, along with Justice Deepak Sibal, who serves as the Chairman of the Building Committee, and other High Court officials, personally visited the record room to evaluate the damage.
It’s important to mention that the High Court has been hearing a public interest petition regarding its expansion since 2013.
This incident comes at a time when the Punjab and Haryana High Court also engaged in a public interest litigation concerning the court’s expansion, a matter that has been under consideration since 2013. The recent flooding highlights the urgent need for improved infrastructure to safeguard legal records, especially in light of such unforeseen natural events.
The High Court expected to take appropriate measures to address the damage and prevent similar occurrences in the future.