The Supreme Court (SC) has set January 5 as the date for the Uttarakhand High Court to hear a petition ordering the removal of a “railway land encroachment” in Haldwani’s Banbhoolpura district.
The High Court in December of last year asked the state government to demolish Haldwani after notifying residents of the encroachment on ‘railway land’ a week in advance.
Thousands of people at risk of losing their homes pinned their hopes on a Supreme Court hearing. Residents launched a satyagraha on Wednesday to protest the removal of the encroachment on the railway land following a High Court order.
According to protesters, the proposed demolition will affect 50,000 residents, 4,365 houses, public and private schools, mosques, mosques, Dharamsala and businesses.
So far, a total of 11 people have approached the SC against the High Court’s decision and many more are expected to follow the same process, people familiar with the matter said.
similar story
Two days after the order was issued, the railway authorities drew the demarcation line amid protests from residents.
According to the Railway Authority, the investigation found that a total of 4,365 homes were illegally occupying railroad property on 78 acres of land in Haldwani’s Banbhoolpura district.
The main petitioner, Sharafat Khan, told the Hindustan Times, “People have been living here for decades and have electricity, water connections, house tax and other residential credentials such as registration documents. Can we build public buildings like hospitals?”
He added, “I approached the Supreme Court along with 10 other people who were affected because the state did not do a good job arguing on their behalf in the High Court.”
“In an affidavit filed with the High Court in 2016, the railroad said the alleged encroachment was on 29 acres of land and based on a recent boundary survey, it is now saying 78 acres,” Khan said.
According to him, the eviction movement will leave more than 50,000 people homeless, including women, children and the elderly, and put their futures at risk.
Sumit Hridayesh, Assembly MLA for the Haldwani Assembly Constituency, expressed support for the people of Banbhoolpura, saying: Now the Railroad Authority has released a fictitious investigation saying that 79 acres of land violated a 2016 affidavit filed in the High Court that referred to 29 acres.”
He said, “There are state-run hospitals and schools nearby. Did the government take over the railroad site? People have lived and registered documents in the area for decades. There is a mountain of evidence and we want the Supreme Court to bail out those who have been harmed.”
He said the slogans sabka sath-sabka vikas and beti-bachao, beti-padhao of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were “fraud”.
On Saturday, former Prime Minister Harish Rawat also wrote an open letter to Prime Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami asking for a resolution.
BJP state media chief Manveer Singh Chauhan said: “The authorities have a duty to abide by the court’s decision. Everyone is equal to us and it is not about Hindus or Muslims.”
According to district officials, the railway authorities have already requested that 4,365 intrusions be removed within seven days, but if that fails, the demolition process will begin.
Rajendra Singh, Public Relations Officer, Northeastern Railway, Izzatnagar Division, following the High Court’s order, said, “We issued a notice on Sunday asking the people of Banbhoolpura in Haldwani District, Nainital District to eliminate 4,365 incursions within seven days. A certain demolition process will begin.”
Nainital Police Commissioner Pankaj Bhatt said adequate security measures would be put in place and 14 paramilitary companies would be deployed for the anti-aggression campaign.
Thank You For Your Vote!
Sorry You have Already Voted!
