Khori: Half done, Fbd tells SC, gets four more weeks

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Friday granted four more weeks to the Faridabad municipal corporation to remove encroachments on Aravali forest land near the Khori village after the civic body submitted that nearly half of the 150-acre area had been razed and reclaimed.

The apex court, which reiterated that all unauthorised structures standing on forest land in the area be removed without any exception, granted time to the civic body noting the humongous task involved and also that the corporation has moved into action in right earnest after the court's June 7 order.

A bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari was informed by the counsel appearing for the municipal corporation that they have undertaken a planned drive to remove unauthorised constructions and so far, 74 acres out of 150 acres have been cleared and is back in the possession of the civic body.

The counsel informed the bench that three more weeks are required to comply with the top court's order to clear all the unauthorised constructions on forest land, after which the court granted four weeks' time, posting the matter next for August 3.

On June 7, the top court had directed state of Haryana and Faridabad municipal corporation to remove all encroachments , consisting around 10,000 residential constructions, in Aravali forest area near the village.

Since then a rehabilitation scheme has been announced by the civic body but residents have not been able to access it. The conditions require excessive documentation, many of which residents do not have.

During the hearing conducted through video-conferencing on Friday, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves, appearing for some petitioners, raised the issue of rehabilitation and referred to a draft policy of the municipal corporation. The bench said they can give their suggestions on the issue to the Commissioner of municipal corporation by tomorrow.

It said the policy be notified by the authority by July 31 and if it is not acceptable to the petitioners, it will be open for them to challenge the same on grounds as permissible under the law.

Gonsalves also referred to an RTI application by an IAS officer and said a detailed list of structures, including farm houses and hotels, on forest land was given in response.

You can be rest assured that on forest land, no unauthorised constructions will be allowed to remain, be it farm houses or others, the bench said, adding there cannot be any presumption that corporation will not remove such illegal structures.

The issues relating to rehabilitation and providing temporary shelters, food and other basic things to the persons, whose structures have been demolished there, were also raised in the court.

One of the advocates appearing for the petitioners said that no shelter has been provided to those who have been removed and in the difficult times of Covid-19 and monsoon, the authorities should give prior notice before initiating the action.