Garhwal Post Bureau
Nainital, 10 Jun: The Nainital High Court has instructed the Chamoli district administration to take an appropriate decision regarding the demolition of an illegal mazaar situated in the heart of Karnaprayag. The directive was issued by a bench comprising Chief Justice G Narendar and Justice Alok Mehra during a hearing on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed over the matter.
During the proceedings, petitioner Pratap Singh informed the court that the mazaar, located in the Karnaprayag market, is causing traffic congestion and affecting nearby schools, offices, and hospitals. He further noted that repeated representations had been made to the authorities, while mentioning that the structure encroaches upon government land.
In response, the judges instructed the petitioner to submit a fresh representation, after which the district administration is expected to take an appropriate course of action.
It may be recalled that various concerns have been raised regarding unauthorised structures such as mazaars or madrasas being located on government land in Uttarakhand, allegedly aimed at altering the state’s cultural identity and demography. Several such structures have already been demolished by the Dhami government as part of its ongoing efforts to curb illegal encroachments.
It may be pertinent to remind here that during an event held in Dehradun today, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami reiterated his government’s firm stance, stating that “land jihad” and “mazaar jihad” must be stopped. He emphasised that strict action would be taken under all circumstances to prevent further encroachment on government property.
