Bapu Dham can be rebuilt,but residents need to be housed: HC

The court,however,refused to comment on whether the proposed flats should be allotted only to NDMC employees or also to people who were resettled there.

Through an order passed on December 2 last year,the court had stayed the eviction of occupants of Bapu Dham Colony by the NDMC. It was passed on a petition by a voluntary organisation —Harijan Samaj Sudhar Samiti — representing the residents and five of its members.

The petitioners submitted that they had been allotted accommodation in the colony under the resettlement plan for slum-dwellers in the Capital,and therefore had ownership rights.

The civic body,however,disconnected the power and water supply and started evicting the petitioners,saying they were illegal occupants. Maintaining that the quarters were meant for their safai karamcharis,it said that they would have to be demolished as they were unsafe for accommodation.

Senior advocate Pinaki Misra and Arjun Pant defended the NDMC’s decision,contending that eviction notices had been issued in advance to the residents. They said the power and water supply were disconnected as the Civil department of the NDMC had found the quarters “dangerous for habitation”.

The NDMC stated the most dangerous structures would be redeveloped in the first stage,and the petitioners would be provided temporary accommodation till the time they are allotted new quarters “as per their eligibility and municipal housing policy”. It said 92 residents had been vacated,leaving only 26 in the buildings.