File image of a bulldozer pressed into action
Credit: PTI Photo
Bahraich (UP): The Bahraich district administration on Wednesday bulldozed 23 illegal structures in a village in Kaiserganj even as residents mounted a protest against the demolition ordered by the high court.
Several illegal structures were also razed by authorities in Kannauj and Fatehpur districts of Uttar Pradesh, officials said.
In Kaiserganj, villagers claimed that most of the affected houses belonged to members of the minority community who had lived there for generations.
Several of the demolished structures were built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and some had shops in the front, locals claimed.
Kaiserganj Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Alok Prasad said the demolition took place in Wazirganj Bazar of Sarai Jagna gram panchayat under Kaiserganj tehsil following an order of the high court.
"There was a government barn and road on plot numbers 211, 212 and 92, which was illegally occupied by people with 11 shops, eight houses and four other tin sheds, etc (total of 23 structures)," he said.
The SDM said the occupants were ordered by the high court to vacate the land following a public interest litigation filed by a local named Hadisul.
"The administration issued notices to the occupants, and most residents voluntarily vacated their properties," the officer added.
In a similar crackdown on illegal construction, unauthorized structures at the Umarda Primary School in Kannauj were razed.
The action was taken following a complaint from a school teacher regarding the construction of pillars for a religious site on approximately 70 square metres of school land by the village head, SDM Tirva Ashok Kumar said.
In Fatehpur district, authorities initiated the removal of encroachments along a 7.3-kilometer stretch of road from Bandhwa to Chilla Bridge.
PWD officer Anil Kumar Gupta said 137 structures were identified for removal based on previous measurements marked with red. While some encroachers voluntarily removed their constructions, 24 structures were demolished by the authorities. The remaining residents were given a month to clear their encroachments.
During the operation, there were minor disputes between officials and locals, but the encroachments were successfully removed using three bulldozers, he added.
Gupta, an assistant engineer, said that improvements in drainage systems will accompany the road construction, as many houses had been causing waterlogging issues on the road. Residents were given one month to vacate a mosque for further road widening, with follow-up actions scheduled after that period, he said.
The demolitions come after the September 2 order of the Supreme Court, in which it asked, "How can anybody's house be demolished just because he is an accused?" But the top court went on to state that it will not protect any unauthorised construction or encroachment on public spaces.
"We are not going to protect any unauthorised construction or encroachment on public roads. Not even the temples on public roads," it had said.