Patna: Residents of over half-a-dozen villages under Dehri-sub-division in Rohtas district in south-central Bihar have reasons to cheer about.

Patna High Court, paying heed to their long-pending demand, has directed the Dehri block circle officer in Rohtas district to remove alleged encroachments on a public road by a private company engaged in manufacturing edible oil.

The encroachment on about 56 decimals of land by JVL Oils and Foods, a unit of JVL Agro Industries Limited) with head office in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi, had led to the blockade of the sarva sadharan rasta (public road), causing inconvenience to the residents of Pahjeja, Ajuba Bigha, Narayan Bigha and Ganaura villages.

While hearing a public interest litigation, a division bench of Chief Justice Rajendra Menon and Justice Rajeev Ranjan Prasad issued orders to the Dehri block circle officer to ensure removal of the encroachment within six months. "If required, register a case against the offender under the Bihar Public Land Encroachment Act," the division bench observed.

The Telegraph had highlighted the plight of residents in a report published in this newspaper "Encroach hurdle for country roads" on June 22, 2011. The high court order has come as a great relief for the residents, who hailed the court order quoting the old saying "Justice is delayed but not denied".

Earlier, the residents had staged a dharna, launched signature campaigns and taken out processions to draw the attention of the local administration. Taking cognisance of the matter, the Dehri circle officer had issued notices thrice to the private firm asking it to remove the encroachment. The company, however, didn't pay heed to the notices.

Efforts to contact the director of the JVL Oils and Foods, however, proved futile. "He is out of town. No other representative of the company is authorised to talk to the media," said an employee of the company.