The Municipal Corporation of Dehradun will conduct its anti-encroachment drive in Bhramawala area after receiving directions from the district administration.
The MCD had earlier decided to conduct this drive last month but is now awaiting directions from the district administration regarding the ownership rights and slum regularisation aspects. However, observers point out that politicians are exploiting slum dwellers and encroachers which is preventing timely encroachment removal and rehabilitation of slumb dwellers.
It must be recalled that the Mukhya Nagar Adhikari (MNA) Harak Singh Rawat had visited the corporation’s encroached land at Bhramawala earlier in August and had directed the encroachers to evict the homes failing which the corporation was to remove the encroachments on
August 23. However, following a protest at MCD by residents of Bhramawala against the anti-encroachment drive, the corporation had decided to postpone its action to prevent any disruption of the All India Council of Mayors’ (AICM) annual meet held on August 25. later, Congress leader Suryakant Dhasmana had led slum dwellers who had protested at the Collectorate against eviction. The district magistrate had then assured them that the corporation could not remove the encroachments. Recently, the MNA wrote to the district administration seeking directions for the planned anti-encroachment drive in Bhramawala. Rawat said that action will be taken after directions are received from the district administration.
It should be noted here that about five hectare of municipal land has been encroached upon with about 250 unauthorised constructions in Bhramawala area. Many of the occupants had earlier agreed to evict the unauthorised construction when the MNA had visited the site but they changed their stance later.
Many of the encroachers in this area are now demanding that they be given the ownership rights for the places they have been living at for many years. They have refused to relocate to the flats meant for rehabilitation of slum dwellers. Though municipal lands across the town are encroached, the land in Bhramawala is one of the major areas of municipal land under encroachment. Dehradun Mayor Vinod Chamoli had also pointed out that while the chief minister had recently stressed on the need for urban local bodies to prevent encroachment on their lands while speaking at the AICM annual meet, Congress leader Suryakant Dhasmana had led Bhramawala residents protesting against eviction.