Obstructions and encroachments upon public streets and open sites.

72. Obstructions and encroachments upon public streets and open sites. - (1) Whoever not duly authorised in this be half, within the limits of a panchayat area, - (a) shall have built or set up, or shall build or set up, any wall, fence, rail, post, stall, verandah, platform, plinth, step or any projecting structure or other encroachment or obstruction; or (b) shall deposit or cause to be placed or deposited any box, bale, package, or merchandise or any other thing in any public street or place or in or over or upon any open drain, gutter, sewer or aqueduct in such street or places, shall on conviction, be punished with fine which may extend to one hundred rupees and with further fine which may extend to five rupees for every day on which such projection encroachment, obstruction or deposit continues after the date of first conviction for such offence. (2) The Grama Panchayat shall have power to remove any such obstruction or encroachment, and shall have the like power to remove any unauthorised obstruction or encroachment of the like nature in any open site not being private property, whether such site is vested in the Grama Panchayat or not. The expenses of such removal shall be paid by the person who has caused the said obstruction or encroachment and shall be recoverable as if it were a tax imposed under section 199. (3) Whoever, not being duly authorised in that behalf, removes earth, sand other than sand used for domestic purposes by residents of the panchayat area or other materials from, or makes any encroachment in or upon any open site which is not private property shall, on conviction, be punished with fine which may extend to two hundred rupees, and, - (i) in the case of an encroachment, with further fine which may extend to two rupees for every day on which the encroachment continues after the date of first conviction; (ii) in the case of removal of ear th, sand or other material, twice the value of such earth, sand or other material shall also be recoverable as a fine. (4) Nothing contained in this section shall prevent the Grama Panchayat from allowing any temporary occupation of or erection in any pu blic street on occasions of festivals and ceremonies or the piling of fuel in by -streets and sites for not more than four days, and in such manner as not to inconvenience the public or any individual.