By Arun Pratap Singh
Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 27 Nov: Panic has spread across Kath Bangla Basti in Dehradun after the Mussoorie Dehradun Development Authority (MDDA) issued notices to around 100 families living near the river, ordering them to vacate their houses within 15 days. The notices also state that these residents will be relocated to Economically Weaker Section (EWS) flats constructed by the Municipal Corporation in Kath Bangla as part of a rehabilitation policy.
Following the issue of these notices, several residents called on Doon Mayor Saurabh Thapliyal at the Dehradun Municipal Corporation (Doon Nagar Nigam) office yesterday and sought his help in getting the MDDA decision cancelled. Thapliyal assured them that he would discuss the matter with MDDA officials in this regard.
The accelerated process of removing illegal constructions within the notified floodplain of the Rispana River follows orders from the Uttarakhand High Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT). In line with these directives, the MDDA has also issued formal notices to residents of the Tarla Nagal and Dhakrampatti areas, informing them about identification, verification, and rehabilitation procedures related to unauthorised constructions.
During a recent hearing, the Uttarakhand High Court, while interpreting the NGT order, directed that any construction violating regulations within the Rispana River floodplain must be removed immediately by the related departments, following notification from the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. To implement this, the District Magistrate of Dehradun has formed a high-level committee led by the Municipal Commissioner and including the Superintendent of Police City, MDDA Secretary, SDM Sadar, and Executive Engineer of the Irrigation Department. This committee is responsible for surveying affected families, assessing eligibility, and managing the rehabilitation process.
Joint teams from the Municipal Corporation, Revenue, Police, and Irrigation departments conducted door-to-door verification based on electricity bills, gas connections, and on-site inspections. The survey revealed that several constructions predate 11 March 2016 and are situated on land transferred to the MDDA at Dhakrampatti and Tarla Nagal in accordance with government orders. Preparations are ongoing to rehabilitate eligible families in the new EWS flats in Kath Bangla. However, any constructions deemed illegal under court orders will face demolition without any rehabiliation.
Women from the basti expressed distress before the Mayor claiming they have lived in the area for many years. They recalled that before the recent civic elections, the previous BJP government passed an ordinance promising that their houses would be protected from demolition. Now, the MDDA’s notices demanding evacuation within 15 days have caused widespread anxiety.
Mayor Thapliyal later confirmed that a delegation of residents of Kath Bangla had met him and that the administration would hold further discussions with MDDA officials and the Urban Development Minister to address the concerns of the basti residents.
