Demolition drive victims hold protest in Kalayat

Our Correspondent

Kaithal, January 16

Protesters under the banner of “Makan Bachao Sangharsh Samiti” organised a procession to express their resentment against the administration’s January 6 action in which eight structures were demolished in Kalayat town. Later, they reached the SDM’s office and staged a dharna.

The protesters claimed that the structures were razed despite a stay order by the court. They demanded compensation for the losses suffered by them due to the administration’s move and action against the officials who ignored their all pleas and the court order to carry on with the demolitions.

After persuasion, they lifted their dharna and submitted a memorandum addressed to the Haryana Governor with Tehsildar Chander Mohan Bishnoi.

Earlier, the victims of demolitions, led by samiti president Raj Bir Rana, reportedly assembled at the spot where the demolitions had taken place. They raised slogans against the municipal committee and other officials and carried out a procession to the Chandigarh–Hisar road (NH 65) passing through Kalayat.

Members of affected families said they were facing difficulties after being displaced following the demolition drive. They have put up in temporary shelters of tarpaulins but were suffering due to chilly weather.

They claimed that they had started constructions after getting the land in question registered in their names and spent hard-earned money on raising the structures. However, the land was identified as pond land later.