Uttarakhand HC halts arbitrary demolition of ‘encroachments’ in Dehradun
The Uttarakhand High Court on Saturday stayed an ongoing demolition drive against “encroachments” on water bodies and seasonal streams in Dehradun, warning that arbitrary action under the guise of court orders would not be tolerated, reported The Indian Express.
The court’s intervention came on urgent pleas from residents of slums in Vikasnagar who had received demolition notices on April 5, with razing operations beginning shortly afterwards. The matter had been previously scheduled for hearing on April 15.
Chief Justice G Narender said the state should have issued notices, conducted surveys and followed due process in the case. “All this is done to force the court to tie its own hands,” he said. “We won’t appreciate this conduct from the officials.”
The court was hearing three public interest litigations highlighting encroachments on water bodies and drains in Rajpur and Doon Valley. Another petition sought the removal of private encroachments on a rivulet and seasonal streams in Sahastradhara.
On Friday, an intervention application was filed on behalf of the residents of Vikasnagar, who said they had been served notices declaring their homes to be built on water bodies and earmarked for demolition. The applicants said they would submit ownership documents in court by April 15.
“The administration has started taking action against the properties...
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