The high court on Thursday asked Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) to inform it of a time frame within which it would clear squatters from any two main drains.

Earlier, PMC submitted a report to the court and a list stating widespread encroachment at nine main and six subsidiary drains in Patna.

On September 26, Patna High Court had directed PMC to inspect all drains and take steps to remove encroachment. The list was prepared after a joint survey by PMC additional commissioners Shrisat Kapil Ashok and Sita Choudhary.

The court order said: “Let the two additional commissioners inform court about the timeframe within which encroachment from any of the two listed main drains would be removed.”

The petitioners counsel is at liberty to include any drain not listed, the court said. The case would next be heard on October 21.

The PMC said exact nature of encroachment could be ascertained after surveyors map drains and tally them with the actual map. Justice V.N. Sinha said: “Whoever encroaches drains, three-storied or 10-storied building, has to fall.”

PMC listed a series of problems. Justice V.N. Sinha said: “You have to act or the court will pass a directive that the government does not want to act in matters of public interest.”

He said encroachment of drains causes waterlogging and the court’s prime concern was to rid Patna of waterlogging in the next rainy season.