The State Government spokesperson and the Urban Development Minister Madan Kaushik said that the State Government is planning to introduce an ordinance to provide relief to the slum dwellers from the ongoing anti- encroachment drive. He, however, refused to go into details and the time when the proposed ordinance would be promulgated. The Minister said this while interacting with the media persons at the State secretariat on Friday. Quizzed over the Congress allegation that there being enough provisions to protect the slums in the Uttarakhand Reforms, Regulation, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Prevention of Encroachment of the Slums located in the Urban local Bodies of the State Act-2016, the State Government was needlessly talking about bringing about an ordinance, Kaushik said that the Act does not have the required provisions.
While defending the State Government’s plan to bring about the ordinance, the Minister said that the Congressmen have not read the High Court order and the Act of 2016 properly. He, however, added that the Government is also keeping the option of incorporating necessary amendments in the Act of 2016.
On the question of some BJP MlAs coming out openly against the Government on the anti-encroachment drive, Kaushik said that they are discharging their duties of public representatives. He, further, said that the party MlAs are not against the Government but are with the affected people during the time of need. “The MlAs are bonded with the people they represent. likewise, the Government is bound to execute the High Court order,’’ he quipped.
Cong alleges anomalies in demolition drive, eviction of slum dwellers
Accusing the State Government of double-standards and questionable ignorance in execution of the high court-directed anti-encroachment drive, the Congress has questioned how come the Government is unaware of the Act passed in the Assembly for addressing various issues related to slums from reforms and regularisation to rehabilitation and prevention of encroachment. The Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee president Pritam Singh stressed that the Congress does not support encroachments but is against the manner in which the anti-encroachment drive is being used to harass some people.
Addressing the media at the Congress Bhawan, the PCC president said that there are various questionable aspects in the manner in which the anti-encroachment drive is being executed. He said, “For demarcation and removal of encroachments the authorities are using different maps dating back to 1904, 1938 and 1992. What is the logic behind using maps dating back to different times as in 1904 when most existing features of Dehradun city were not even madeIJ We have seen that in case people approach the officials and show them documentation to question their action, they are being threatened and asked illogical questions. The State Government had also started issuing notices to slum dwellers but went on the back-foot following strong opposition and stated that it would bring in an ordinance regarding slums. Doesn’t the State Government know that the Uttarakhand Reforms, Regularisation, Rehabilitation, Resettlement and Prevention of Encroachment of Slums located in the Urban local Bodies of the State Act 2016 was passed by the AssemblyIJ A sum of Rs 400 crore had also been allocated for addressing various issues related to slums but the Government surprisingly seems to be unaware.”
Former Cabinet Minister Dinesh Agarwal said that the State Government had spent crores of rupees on facilitating varied developments in slums. The law enacted in August 2016 focused on providing ownership rights, rehabilitation and other aspects relate to slums and slum dwellers. By serving eviction notices to slum dwellers the government is working in a manner that will create chaos. The authorities should work in a way that prevent such chaos and also look after the interests of slum dwellers, he said.
Former MlA Rajkumar said that there are 582 slums across the state including 123 in Dehradun. Despite an Act being passed and financial provision being made, the State Government is trying to simply evict slum dwellers. If the State Government pursues this line of action, lakhs of people will come out on the roads in protest, he said.