Residents of Haldwani's Banbhoolpura welcome SC direction on rehabilitation plan

Haldwani (U'khand), Jul 24 (PTI) Residents of the Banbhoolpura locality here on Wednesday said the Supreme Court's direction to the state government to submit a plan for the rehabilitation of those living on encroached railway land here was in the public interest.

They asserted that whatever decision the Supreme Court takes in the matter, it will be in their favour.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Uttarakhand chief secretary to hold a meeting with the Centre and the railways to rehabilitate over 50,000 people who have encroached on railway land in Haldwani.

The top court was hearing a plea filed by the Centre seeking vacation of its order dated January 5, 2023, which stayed the Uttarakhand High Court order for removal of encroachments from 29 acres of land claimed by the railways in Haldwani.

A three-judge bench headed by Justice Surya Kant said the state government will have to provide the scheme as to how and where these people will be rehabilitated.

Banbhoolpura resident and Samajwadi Party leader Abdul Matin said, "Evicting 4,365 families and 50,000 people overnight goes against the principles of justice. The interim directions given by the Supreme Court are welcome." A local resident and social worker Sartaj Alam said the apex court's directions are commendable. Whatever decision the court takes, it will definitely be in the public interest, he said.

Congress MLA from Haldwani Sumit Hridayesh said the state government and the railways should take a decision keeping the interest of the poor in mind.

"If the railways gets a retaining wall built from the side of the Gola river, then it will not need land anywhere. The railways and the state government should adopt a humanitarian approach and take a decision in the interest of the poor like the honourable Supreme Court," Hridayesh said.

According to the railways, there are 4,365 encroachers on the land. However, the occupants are holding protests in Haldwani asserting that they are its rightful owners.

Nearly 50,000 people, a majority of them Muslims, belonging to over 4,000 families reside on the disputed land.

The top court had on January 5, 2023, stayed the Uttarakhand High Court order for removal of encroachments, terming it a "human issue" and saying that 50,000 people could not be uprooted overnight. PTI COR ALM DIV DIV