A major crackdown on unauthorised construction in protected forest land in Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary is expected to be resumed from Wednesday. Process of demarcation of encroachment on green land is presently underway, which is being conducted by the Forest Department of the Delhi Government. A senior official of the department said once the process is completed the department will return to bulldoze structures raised illegally in the region within two days.
“We are still surveying the areas notified as forest and wildlife sanctuary to reallocate rest encroached land and the full crackdown is likely to happen on May 7. Currently, there has been no demolition, except few fences. We have issued a notice to remove illegal encroachments and planning to start demolishing structures from May 7 onwards,” said additional principal conservator of forests GN Sinha.
Meanwhile, several inhabitants of the Asola village had recently pleaded before the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to revisit the decision to demolish encroachments which was rejected by the bench. However, the bench has ordered the Forest Department to address the doubts of affected locals. Residents also claimed that the khasra numbers of their properties were different from those listed in the notices slapped by department and went on questioning if their homes are illegal, why was permission for construction given in the first place.
“This matter is under judicial consideration and therefore, I am strictly prohibited from any public discussion elsewhere,” Sinha said.
“Till now we have only demolished boundary walls, leaving out the lavish structures rise on illegal land on humanitarian grounds to give people sufficient time to clear their properties,” AK Shukla, Chief Conservator of Forests & Chief Wildlife Warden said. “Once we get guidelines from higher authorities, we will start to raze all constructions that have been built illegally on forest land to reclaim more land,” he said.
Why was forest land farmed out, ask farmhouse owners
New Delhi: The whip cracked by the Forest Department to reclaim forest land in Asola Bhatti Wildlife Sanctuary from encroaches has left owners of properties bewildered. Peeved over the demolition drive being carried out by them, they rued if their houses are built on illegal land then why was permission for construction given in the first place. They also alleged the notices served by the authorities also led to the confusion as khasra numbers of their properties were different from those listed in the notices slapped.
“We are living here from last 18 years in peace, unlike other citizens of India we are paying taxes, electricity bills and we have proper documents of our land,” Manoj Gupta, whose farmhouse was demolished on April 22. “Suddenly, we are been threatened and warned by the forest department that we are living on illegal land.”
Interestingly, Forest Department is also flattening boundaries they have constructed years ago. Meanwhile, there has been no plantation work as measures of afforestation, claimed by the department, except a few holes have been dug by the bulldozer. A senior official in forest department has said that the occupants of illegal land should remove their unauthorised encroachment as soon as possible.