Delhi: Encroachment removal drive zeroes in on farmhouses

SDM (Mehrauli) Mitali Goel said the focus of the drive is on large farmhouses, so that larger areas of forest land are retrieved.

During last week’s anti-encroachment exercise, the Delhi government’s revenue and forest department officials demolished more than 10 farmhouses.

Close to 22 acres of land in the Southern Ridge, belonging to the Delhi forest department, was cleared of encroachment — mostly farmhouses — over the past week in Jonapur. In the coming week, 30 more acres are expected to be unlocked in the Dera Mandi village area, officials said.

SDM (Mehrauli) Mitali Goel said the focus of the drive is on large farmhouses, so that larger areas of forest land are retrieved. The Southern Ridge, spread over an area of 6,200 hectares, is ecologically sensitive and is the largest tract of land falling under the Delhi Ridge. The area has villages near the forest area, and is considered the least urbanised. Over the years, however, several encroachments— from farmhouses to JJ colonies— came up.

During last week’s anti-encroachment exercise, the Delhi government’s revenue and forest department officials, aided by 100 Delhi Police officers and officials from the office of SDM (Mehrauli) demolished more than 10 farmhouses along with boundary walls and tin sheds, using eight excavation machines.

“The vacated land was handed over to the forest department and pillars were installed…” a statement from the SDM’s office said.
While the NGT has ordered the removal of all encroachments from the Southern Ridge and demarcation of land, the issue has been a contentious one due to the presence of several farmhouses.

The order to clear Jonapur and Dera Mandi was passed by the NGT in 2015, with the time given till 2016 to complete the drive. But the action was taken only in the past two months.

“In Jonapur, we cleared more than 10 farmhouses. At Dera Mandi, the process is on and action will be taken against five JJ colonies there.. So far, notices have been issued to 6,000 households. In all, 13 villages in Southern Ridge have to be cleared..,” said B M Mishra, South Delhi DM.

First uploaded on: 07-08-2019 at 03:50 IST

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