New Delhi:The Supreme Court on Monday came down heavily on illegal constructions in Khori Gaon Basti located in the Aravali area, reiterating the earlier court order directing Haryana and Municipal Corporation Faridabad (MCF) to remove the 10,000 residential constructions on the forest land.
The vacation bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari, while hearing a plea seeking stay on the eviction drive filed on behalf of residents of Khori Gaon Basti, observed that they were bound by directions of the apex court and the Punjab & Haryana High Court.
Senior counsel Colin Gonsalves sought rehabilitation for the evicted dwellers, who are residents of the government land since 1980.
"If you want your petition to be considered, be a law-abiding citizen. Land grabbers can't take refuge of the law, vacate the premise on your own so that corporation does not have to spend on evicting you, You cannot have them pressurize you to leave and then ask for accommodation," the bench asserted pointing there cannot be any compromise with the forest land.
The court also directed the Corporation to use "police force, if needed" to remove all jhuggis and encroachments on Khori Gaon forest land within six weeks.
The writ petition challenged the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran Rehabilitation Policy to the extent that it limits the cut-off for rehabilitation to 2003. The petition also contended that most dwellers, however, are unable to show any proofs of existence.(UNI)