The issue of proposed demolition of two slum clusters, located on forest land in the Capital, has been brought to the Delhi High Court by the residents. They have raised objection to the Delhi Development Authority’s action without first taking measures for their relocation or rehabilitation.
Residents of the Dalit Ekta Camp slum at Vasant Kunj and a slum cluster adjacent to Rangpur Pahadi, where a demolition drive was carried out last week, have approached the High Court seeking stay on razing of the dwelling units and directions for providing civic amenities and ensuring safety and security to the slum residents.
Justice V.K. Shali directed the DDA to place on record the orders of the National Green Tribunal for removal of the Dalit Ekta Camp slum and asked the urban body not to demolish the slum cluster as of now as he wanted to go through the petition. The matter was listed for hearing on Wednesday.
Hearing the petition moved by the residents of Jhuggi Jhonpri camp, situated near Rangpur Pahadi, Justice Vibhu Bakhru asked the State Government to explore the possibility of relocating the residents to another site.
The Court said a forest land must be protected to prevent anyone from coming in and squatting there and the government’s inaction over a period of time could not be capitalised upon. The case will come up for hearing again on Thursday.
Hundreds of dwellings built on the forest land in Rangpura Pahadi were demolished last week. The drive left thousands of people homeless just when winter has set in.
Delhi Government counsel Zubeda Begum contended in both the matters that the demolition was being carried out in compliance with an order of the National Green Tribunal to restore forest land in the national Capital.
