MDDA’s action on illegal construction done after 2016 on the banks of Rispana river has started from Kathbangla Basti. Amidst protests, in the presence of heavy police force, MDDA team demolished 26 encroachments on the first day. Action is to be taken on a total of 250 encroachments on the banks of Rispana on the land of Riverfront Development. There is a stir in the slums due to the start of demolition. Many opposition parties also tried to block the road opposing the action, but the police drove them away and continued the action. Even today, action will be taken in the remaining part of Kathbangla Basti.
The team got the houses vacated
On Monday morning at around 10 am, MDDA team along with police and PAC reached Kathbangla Basti bridge and the force surrounded the colony. After which the MDDA team proceeded with JCB. However, due to the presence of goods inside many illegal houses, the action got delayed and the team warned to vacate the houses as soon as possible. Demolition action was started on the vacated houses. Houses were demolished with three JCBs and labourers were also employed to demolish small constructions. During this, a large number of slum dwellers gathered and protested against the action and created a ruckus. However, in the presence of heavy police force, the protest could not last long. The police chased away the people who were blocking the road and the action continued. On the first day, 26 constructions were demolished and action will be taken on the remaining constructions today.
Municipal Corporation demolished 64, MDDA will demolish 250 constructions
On the instructions of NGT, a total of 524 encroachments were identified in the survey of constructions done after the year 2016 on the banks of Rispana. 89 encroachments were found on Municipal Corporation land, while 12 were found on Municipality Mussoorie and 11 on revenue land. On the other hand, it has come to light that there are more than 412 encroachments on the land which was given to MDDA for the River Front Development Project under the control of the Municipal Corporation. About a month ago, the Municipal Corporation had prepared a final list of 74 encroachments after hearing the objections. Finally, after amendments, a total of 64 constructions were demolished in Chuna Bhatta, Deepnagar and Bodyguard Basti. While notices were sent by MDDA regarding the encroachments on the River Front land long ago, the objections received in response were being investigated. Now, after investigation, only 250 illegal constructions marked on MDDA land remain in the list. The report of action on which has to be submitted to NGT by June 30.
Congressmen surrounded the team, opposed the action
A large number of Congressmen reached the spot and surrounded the team in protest against the action of the MDDA team. During this, they tried to stop the demolition and block the road while opposing the action. On which the police force pushed them back. During this time, the ruckus continued for a long time. After the strictness of the police, the action proceeded.
Allegation of demolishing the house without giving notice
A woman and relatives of Kathbangla Basti stood in front of the JCB and created a lot of ruckus. The woman alleged that they were not given any notice to vacate the house. On Monday, the team suddenly arrived and their house was demolished. The woman expressed anger towards the government and said that the poor are being made homeless. Now where will they go with their children. The roof from their heads was snatched away in the rainy season. During this time, the woman and her children sat on the road and started crying. Similarly, many other people also kept creating ruckus alleging that they were made homeless.
Illegal house built on old construction
During this time, such cases were also found that some people built houses later on the construction done before the year 2016. The constructions done earlier in the empty are out of the scope of action, but constructions have been done later on them. Which were demolished by MDDA with JCB.
Children started crying seeing their houses being destroyed
Women and children started crying seeing their houses being destroyed during the demolition action of MDDA. People started taking out their belongings crying on the warning of the team. Women said that their children kept wandering here and there hungry and thirsty in the heat.
Flats being built for the slum dwellers have become ruins
The flats being built at a cost of crores for the rehabilitation of the residents of Kathbangla slum have become ruins. The construction of a multi-storey building was started many years ago under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission at a short distance from the slum. After the budget was passed, the construction was done for some time, but then the work stopped and the budget could not be released. This matter was also raised in the assembly, but the action did not move forward and these flats have now turned into ruins.