Seven farmhouses among 12 illegal constructions razed in Raisina Hills

Gurugram, July 12

The district administration of Gurugram has demolished at least 12 illegal constructions, including seven farmhouses, in the Raisina Hills area, which falls under the protected Aravalli forest range.

As per the details available, a campaign to demolish the illegal constructions was launched on Friday under the supervision of local Sub-Divisional Magistrate Sonu Bhatt at the Raisina Hills.

During the campaign, six JCB machines were used to demolish the walls of 12 illegal constructions. It has been learnt that the land mafia was constructing farmhouses in the area.

The campaign of the administration created panic among the people who were doing illegal constructions in the protected Aravalli forest area. They ran away from the construction sites thereafter.

The SDM said the administration conducted a survey of the farmhouses being built on the Raisina Hills, after which a seven day notice was issued to the people who had done illegal constructions, he said. He added that despite issuing the notices, construction works were still going on at some of the sites.

During the demolition campaign, some people tried to stop the JCB machines by showing documents, but could not present any solid evidence of valid permissions from the government.

Sohna Block Development and Panchayat Officer Rajesh Tiwana was posted as duty magistrate. Sohna Municipal Council Executive Officer Suman Lata, legal assistant Sandeep Rathi, Municipal Council Engineer Narendra Taneja, police force including Bhondsi police station’s Sub Inspector Sant Kumar, JE Digambar and others were present along with him during the demolition campaign.

The constructions being done on Raisina Hill, C-97, C-20, B-66, D-31, seven farmhouses being built in front of G 8-9 in an area of 22 acres and A2-5 farmhouses were demolished with JCB machines.

A total of 12 illegal constructions were demolished today, the SDM added. Bhatt said the Nagar Parishad has issued 8 more notices for illegal constructions in the protected forest area. If anyone does not give a proper reply to these, strict action will be taken against them, he added. He said the Supreme Court has recently banned illegal constructions and illegal mining on the hills to protect the Aravalli forest area.

Under the Aravalli Forest Protection Act and Punjab Revenue Land Protection Act, illegal construction work is also prohibited in Raisina Hills, the SDM said.

800 jhuggis demolished in Wazirabad village

The enforcement team of the Municipal Corporation Gurugram demolished more than 800 ‘jhuggis’ (huts) in an illegally settled slum in Wazirabad village on Friday. Joint Commissioner of Zone-3 Suman Bhankhar said a team from the enforcement wing, led by Assistant Engineer (Encroachment) RK Mongia, arrived in Wazirabad village with a police force to carry out the demolition of the illegal settlements. More than 800 ‘jhuggis’ had been built illegally on the land designated for a proposed sports stadium. The team successfully demolished all huts, freeing the government land from encroachment. TNS