Bhopal: District administration along with municipal corporation removed illegal encroachments citing order of NGT (National Green Tribunal) in Bhadbhada area in the state capital Bhopal on Wednesday.
A large number of police personnel were deployed in the area during the action being taken. According to reports, about 300 houses are illegal here, which are built on the banks of the lake. The administration had sent them a notice based on the order of NGT and after surpassing the time boundary, the action was being taken to remove the encroachment.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Anil Shukla told ANI, "It was an illegal encroachment on the instructions of NGT and action is underway to remove it with the cooperation of the police, municipal corporation and district administration. Everyone is removing their belongings voluntarily and they are being provided support by the administration."
Around 1000 police personnel have been deployed here. Everyone is removing things on their own and family members of everyone's house are present here, he added.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Santosh Kansana, who was persent on the spot, claimed it was an act of dictatorship of the Municipal Corporation and the administration.
"This is absolutely an act of dictatorship of the Municipal Corporation and the administration. Five years ago, the Municipal Corporation did the work of setting up sewage lines and water lines in the same settlement (Basti). If it was illegal then why did the Municipal Corporation install the civil lines and water lines? People have been living here for 50 years. People are not being given any alternative arrangement," Kansana said.
On one hand the government claims that houses are being given to the poor under PM Awas Yojana but here the houses of the poor are being demolished. It is a dictatorship, the congress leader added.
Besides, people whose houses were razed down alleged that the action was taken after a grand hotel was built in their area. Their houses seem like garbage in front of the hotel due to which they are facing action.
As we saw in movies that settlements used to be removed in front of hotels, the same situation is being followed here, a resident alleged.
—ANI
