PRAYAGRAJ, Oct. 15 -- The Allahabad high court has directed the state government to ensure removal of encroachments on public land or land reserved for public utility purposes across Uttar Pradesh within 90 days.

The court also ordered departmental and criminal proceedings against officials who fail to act as per the law while observing that inaction by pradhans, lekhpals and revenue officers in reporting or removing encroachments from Gram Sabha land will amount to criminal breach of trust.

Justice PK Giri passed the order in a public interest litigation (PIL) petition filed by one Manoj Kumar Singh alleging that a pond in Chauka village of Chunar, Mirzapur, was encroached by villagers and no action was taken by local administration de...