Kant Enclave ready to be razed as last 23 families vacate houses

Demolition will be carried out before August 23 to adhere to apex court order

Paving the way for the complete razing of Kant Enclave, a 400-acre township housing bungalows of retired Army officers, former bureaucrats, senior advocates and entrepreneurs in Sector 40 here, the remaining 23 families have also vacated their residences — adhering to the July 31 deadline fixed by the Supreme Court.

The demolition would be carried out before August 23, the date for submission of compliance report to the Supreme Court in this matter. A total of 20 structures have been demolished, including a film studio belonging to the developer, so far. While 13 structures were demolished during a two-day demolition drive in April, seven houses were razed on July 15.

The drive has been carried out in adherence to the SC’s order in September last year, which stated that the houses were built illegally in the protected forests of the Aravalis and the developers had caused irreversible ecological damage to the hills.

The Haryana government had amended the Punjab Land Preservation Act, 1900, in March this year in a bid to provide relief to the affected families, but the SC took a stern view of the development as an attempt to overrule the judiciary. The move also met stiff opposition from environmentalists and the Opposition. The Haryana government did not pursue the matter further.

A senior official of the Department of Town and Country Planning told The Hindu that the report regarding the houses being vacated was sent to the Chief Secretary, who has been monitoring the matter. Further orders are awaited to fix the demolition schedule. He said the demolition was not likely to happen before August 15 on account of preparation for Independence Day.

No compensation yet

Meanwhile, a few of the families have offered to demolish their houses on their own. “A few of the families have sought permission to carry out the demolition on their own. It has also been conveyed to the Chief Secretary,” said the official.

Most of the families have rented houses in and around Faridabad. Sanjay Basu, who vacated his house on July 24, said they were yet to receive the compensation fixed by the Supreme Court for the construction cost incurred by the house owners.

Though the SC has directed the developer, R. Kant and Company, to give full refund of investment to all plot owners along with interest at 18% per annum from the date of investment, the residents have been demanding that the government acquire their plots under the Land Acquisition Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.