Politicians holding agitation against eviction notices during pendency of case irks Delhi HC

New Delhi, Oct 23 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Wednesday took exception to certain politicians agitating and protesting against eviction notices served to residents of a cluster in the Old Barapullah Bridge area when the matter was already pending in the court.

Residents of Madrasi Camp in the Old Barapullah Bridge area are facing eviction to make way for the construction of a new flyover.

The court said if the project fails, the city would be flooded again and termed it "very very unfortunate" that the water was not being allowed to flow into the Yamuna river.

The high court said the intent of politicians is only to win elections and they are not concerned with improving the infrastructure and condition of the city.

Days after the residents of the slum cluster in south-east Delhi's Jangpura received eviction notices, leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the BJP met the residents and promised them support.

The two parties also blamed each other for the eviction notices.

During the hearing, the court said the encroachment has to be removed to make way for water to flow in the Yamuna or else the city would be flooded again.

"If water is not allowed to reach Yamuna and encroachment is not removed, be prepared for another floods in the city. If they want they can buy boats. The city must be prepared for this.

"If the administration wants to solve the issue it is a five minutes job but rather than solving it, they are holding political agitation over there. If the intent is not there, you can't solve it in the next 50 years," a bench of Chief Justice Manmohan and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela said.

The court said there is no will to do the work, therefore, the citizens are living in miserable conditions.

The court was hearing a plea by the residents of JJ cluster Madrasi Camp at Jangpura against the eviction notice and seeking rehabilitation.

The court asked the authorities, including Delhi Development Authority and Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), to mull over the issue of rehabilitating these residents elsewhere.

The bench said political leaders were not concerned if the city drowned and they were only interested in winning elections and coming back to power.

"There are such straightforward issues which the administration is not able to solve. I am shocked to see when the matter is pending in the court, politicians went and held agitation there. Why? Just for 214 votes? It is not for 214 votes but to create a divide in the society. You want them to stay over there only, they are your vote bank.

"The intent is not clean, the intent is to make use of it for political slugfest, the intent is that they should live in these miserable conditions. Why should someone go and do agitation there and give speeches when the matter is in court," a furious Justice Manmohan said.

The court said it was a simple case of rehabilitation and an issue was being made out of it as the politicians only want to win elections and added that it was a sign of weak administration.

The court had earlier issued notice to the Delhi government, its Public Works Department (PWD) and DDA on the plea.

The bench said the question was whether the colony was impeding water flow or not and made it clear that in case it was impeding the water flow, it had to go.

"If it is impeding the water flow, surely it has to go. The city is getting flooded unnecessarily. People who are living in Delhi and paying taxes, they don't want their houses to be flooded. We can't allow the city to be flooded again and again. If the drain has to be cleared, it has to be cleared.

"But we will ensure you are shifted to an alternate land. We will ask the authorities to rehabilitate you (residents). We will give you a right to rehabilitation," the bench said.

In September, the PWD had pasted eviction notices in the area, asking the locals to vacate their homes.

The residents are refusing to move from the area, which is their home for over 50 years, unless they are given an alternative site. PTI SKV ZMN