SC orders eviction of 10,000 encroachers from forest land in Faridabad

Satya Prakash
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, June 7

Holding that land grabbers can't take refuge under rule of law, the Supreme Court on Monday ordered eviction of around 10,000 residential structures illegally constructed in Lakkarpur-Khori village in the Aravali forest area of Faridabad district in Haryana and sought a compliance report from the authorities in six weeks.

A Bench headed by Justice AM Khanwilkar ordered the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad and the Faridabad Police to evict the illegal occupants of government land in six weeks.

"Land grabbers can't take refuge under rule of law and talk of fairness," the top court said rejecting a plea filed by five encroachers against the demolition/eviction drive. 

Maintaining that there was no question of compromise on forest land irrespective of the policy, the Bench, however, said the petitioners’ demand for rehabilitation can be considered independently.

The petitioners had challenged the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran Rehabilitation Policy to the extent it limits of the cut-off for rehabilitation to 2003 and sought a stay on demolition of about 10,000 houses at Khori Gaon in Haryana's Faridabad.

As senior counsel Colin Gonsalves, representing the petitioners, said those evicted should be accommodated, the Bench shot back, “Who is asking this? Land grabbers! When you come to court you become honest and law abiding and on site, you do not do anything lawful.”

 It said, "In our opinion the petitioners are bound by the directions given by the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Supreme Court”. 

It ordered the local police to give necessary logistical support to enable the corporation to implement its directions to “evict the occupants/encroachers including by forcible eviction from the subject forest land and to clear all the encroachments therefrom.”

The Superintendent of Police, Faridabad, shall be personally responsible for ensuring adequate logistical support and police protection to the officials of the corporation, the court said.

“We further make it clear that the Chief Executive Officer of the corporation and the Secretary of the forest department shall be personally responsible to oversee the implementation of the directions given in this order and submit their compliance report(s) within six weeks,” it said, posting the matter for July 27.

Noting that it had passed an interim order in February, 2020 for removal of encroachment on forest land, the Bench said it would be asking the civic body why the encroachments had not been removed so far.

“First forest land has to be cleared. No concession with regard to the forest land. Don’t give us Covid excuses. File a compliance report. It may be a case where some people are hand in glove with the encroachers,” it said.

The Bench directed the state forest department secretary to verify the factual situation regarding encroachments on forest land and submit an independent compliance report under his signature.

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