New Delhi: Supreme Court has asked the state of Haryana to expedite the process of finalising policy on rehabilitation of people who have been evicted from Khori Gaon where they had encroached the land illegally. The bench comprising Justice AM Khanwilkar and Justice Dinesh Maheswari asked the commissioner of the Faridabad Municipal corporation to extend his office in Radhaswamy area where the evicted people have been given temporary shelter, food and water, to address their grievances.
The court in its previous order had directed that commissioner to take care of the grievance regarding food and shelter. It was contended today that in situation of the COVID19, it would be difficult for the people to travel to Faridabad main city and hence office should be set up somewhere nearby. Court has asked commissioner to submit a status report which should indicate the outcome of representations made by people for shelter.
Senior advocate Colin Gonsalves argued before the court today that rehabilitation has hardly been done. "Those who are eligible can get rehabilitation but those who are not eligible...why should they be rehabilitated, they are all land encroachers," said the court. Demolition will be completed by August 23 and the matter will be heard on August 25.
The court had ordered to demolish around 10,000 houses in Khori Gaon as they were illegally constructed on forest land and there could be no compromise on it. The court had first asked the residents to leave on their own but after the non-compilation, the court asked the municipal corporation to carry out demolition and rehabilitate those who are eligible.
