Eviction proceedings against ten families stopped following agitation, threat by ruling party leaders in Pithoragarh
Eviction proceedings against ten families stopped following agitation, threat by ruling party leaders in Pithoragarh
B.D.Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, May 31
Govind Singh Mahar, a senior ruling BJP leader of Pithoragarh has said that the anti encroachment drive of Nagar Palika Parishad against poor families would not be allowed unless the alleged encroachment done by big businessmen are removed from the city first. Ten families who were threatened with eviction are agitating against the action by civic authorities.
According to Executive Officer of Pithoragarh Nagar Palika Parishad the rent of over 6.25 nali worth land plots (over 0.50 acre) is being deposited with the civic body since the year 1974, after the land lease in the name of late Chanchal Singh Maldar expired on 31, December 1969.” The civic body has sought eviction orders of court to use the land for public purposes,” said the Executive Officer.
After the Pithoragarh District Magistrate cancelled the allocation of land to concerned family on the grounds of its being a public land, the Nagar Palika Parishad has planned a four story building in that place. The ground floor will be used as parking, first floor as a ‘Sabji mandi’, the third floor as a shopping complex and fourth floor as a ‘Dharmashala’.
“The 10 poor families, who are residing in this plot of land from last 70 years, are being removed forcefully without being giving them a chance to convert the land into free hold for residential purposes while the big businessmen in other parts of city have encroached upon same nature of land and running their businesses without any hindrance,” charged Govind Singh Mahar, a senior BJP leader and organiser of ‘Jag Utha Pahar,’ a social organisation.
Ten families, residing in Dharmashala line locality of Pithoragarh town from last 70 years, face eviction, as Nagar Palika Parishad has given them notices.” The eviction action is being taken after court orders,” said R.D. Jayasi, Executive Officer of Nagar Palika Parishad of Pithoragarh.
Mahar, along with senior BJP leader Ganesh Bhandari, vice chairman of ‘Laghu Sinchai Salahkar samiti’ (Small Irrigation Advisory committee) of the state government, reached the spot today and announced that if the nagar palika initiates the eviction drive it could be done over their dead bodies.” The poor families, residing in the barren plot from last 70 years are being removed without giving them alternative residences,” said Mahar.
“I,am trying to talk to Chief Minister in this matter and already talked to cabinet minister Saurabh Bahuguna, who has assured me of taking action keeping in view the rehabilitation of affected families before demolishing their homes,” said Mahar
All these 10 families are poor Below Poverty Line (BPL) families, who earn their livelihoods doing small time works like selling milk or vegetable.”They are not a position to afford rented accommodation in the city ,”said Mahar.
The Executive Officer of Nagar Palika Parishad has said that they have stopped the eviction proceedings keeping in mind the peace in the area as some leaders have opposed the eviction.
“The affected residents are our own people and residents of Pithoragarh district, when big businessmen from outside the district are being patronised for their encroachments, what wrong these poor have done to invite eviction from their hearths and homes of 70 years,” asked Mahar.
