Trapped Banphoolpura residents facing challenges in Haldwani
Trapped Banphoolpura residents facing challenges in Haldwani
B.D.Kasniyal
Pithoragarh, Feb 14
More than a lakh population of Banphoolpura in Haldwani town, 90 percent of which are Muslim, are in dire straits after sixth of day of violent confrontation with the police and civic authorities following demolition of a mosque and madrassa by the authorities claiming six lives in police firing and injuries to hundreds.
“Although the administration claimed to have distributed 10000 litres of milk several truck loads of vegetable and other essential food items today, but it is only 10 percent of total need of 25000 families of locality which is trapped inside from last five days,” said Shakeel Salmani, a former councillor of the locality.
“The daily bread earners of Banbhoolpura included daily wage earners like barbars, vegetable, washermen, rag pickers, egg sellers, labourers and street vendors are unable to fend themselves since they are unable to earn their livelihood,” said Shakeel Salmani.
Pramod Arya, godown incharge of RFC godown in Haldwani said that due to absence of labourers, mostly from Banphoolpura, ration supply to 283 PDS Raton shops has been affected.”We could not supply ration quota of February to 33 ships till date due to non availability of labourers, who come from the area under curfew till date,” said Pramod Arya.
“On the orders of district magistrate, we are supplying essential goods to the locality including eggs, bread, ration, vegetables and LPG cylinders. We have also treated 65 patients in PHC ,Banphoolpura,” claimed Richa Singh, City Magistrate of Haldwani.
“Besides supplying essential goods to trapped locals, we have also kept an eye on maintaining law and order aftermath the event and deputed over 1100 para military personals besides the local police,” said the city magistrate.
The administration said that over 30 suspected persons have been taken into custody while 150 others are being interrogated by police.”We have also suspended licences of over 130 fire arms of the area suspecting misuse of these arms during violence on February 8 ,” said Phincharam Chauhan, Additional District Magistrate of Nainital district.
Shakeel Salmani said that most of people of the area are daily wagers and their livelihood depends on their daily earnings.”From last 6 days their earning have been effected as they are not allowed to go out of their houses due to continous curfew orders.if will affect the health of minors and aged people besides other family members as the ration being distributed by administration is inadequate,” charged Salmani.
According to locals, Abdul Malik, the alleged main accused for the violence as claimed by the administration is an early settler family of Haldwani town.” This family has records of constructing rail line from Lal kuan to Haldwani during British era besides running various educational institutions in the town,” said Jehangir Raju, a Haldwani resident.
In the latest development, the police has opened a police post at the demolished land where the Uttarakhand Chief Minister has announced to open a police station later.” After the death of Israr (50) an injured in police firing on February 8th, the number of dead has gone to six,” said a government official.