Haldwani/Dehradun, Jan 4 (PTI) A Samajwadi Party delegation from Uttar Pradesh arrived Wednesday at a Haldwani locality to extend support to people who face eviction from “encroached” railway land, a day before the matter comes up before the Supreme Court.
Former Uttarakhand chief minister Harish Rawat also held a one-hour silent protest at his home in Dehradun against the planned clearance of encroachments in Banbhoolpura following an Uttarakhand High Court order.
A banner hanging behind the Congress leader said, “Bulldozers are no solution to the problems of the people of Banbhoolpura. Chief Minister, please save the roofs of people from being pulled down.” The Supreme Court will on Thursday hear a bunch of petitions challenging the December 20 high court order that said the encroachment over 29 acres should be cleared after giving one week’s notice to the residents.
Moradabad MP S T Hasan, who led the SP delegation sent by party president Akhilesh Yadav, questioned the railway’s claim.
“How does the land belong to the railway? Whom did it buy it from? People have been living on it for more than 100 years,” Hasan told reporters, soon after meeting local residents.
The state government has provided people facilities like hospitals, schools and sewer lines to the area, he said.
Hasan said they hoped Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami will protect the people of the state.
The SP delegation included Ataur Rahman, Veerpal Singh, S K Rai, Sultan Baig and Arshad Khan from UP. Local party leaders, including Abdul Mateen Siddiqui and Shoeb Ahmad, accompanied them.
On Tuesday night, Banbhoolpura residents took out a candlelight march. The protesters said the civic action will render them homeless and jeopardise the future of their school-going children.
According to the railway, there are 4,365 encroachers on its land. But the opposition parties claim that the settlement has a much larger number of residents.
Nainital District Magistrate D S Garbyal said preparations are being made to remove the encroachments. “It is the high court order. It has to be followed.” Residents of the area have been informed about the court order and the process to remove the encroachment is likely to begin on January 10, Haldwani SDM Manish Kumar said.
Eight companies of the India Reserve Battalion and the Provincial Armed Constabulary, and 10 companies of the Railway Protection Force will soon be deployed in Haldwani, he said. PTI CORR ALM PKS SK NSD ALM ASH ASH
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