Encroachers on govt land not entitled to prior notice: Delhi HC

NEW DELHI: Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to stay an ongoing drive by Delhi Development Authority (DDA) to remove encroachments in the Yamuna floodplain at Dhobi Ghat.

A bench of justices Hima Kohli and Subramonium Prasad also ticked off the land owning agency for “keeping its eyes shut” and allowing encroachments to crop up on its land for long. “DDA ought to have protected its land, but the less said the better,” the bench remarked, while declining to stay the eviction drive.

The court, however, asked it not to take any coercive action for the next ten days, allowing those affected to approach National Green Tribunal (NGT) on whose directions the Authority has begun clearing Yamuna floodplain of encroachments, or the Supreme Court.

The high court was hearing a petition filed by two residents of the area who sought an immediate stay on the demolition drive and claimed that the agency didn’t give prior notice to the locals who face the threat of being rendered homeless.

But the bench made it clear that encroachers on government land are not entitled to prior notice and pointed out that NGT’s orders can only be assailed before the Supreme Court, with the high court having no role to play. It refused to examine if the residents are eligible for rehabilitation, leaving it to Delhi government’s urban shelter board (DUSIB) and DDA, even as it gave ten days time to the petitioners to move NGT or SC if they wish.

The high court also directed a reluctant DDA, represented through senior advocate Rajiv Bansal, to coordinate with DUSIB and conduct a joint survey of the area in Jamia Nagar. It said the agencies can use drone for videography and for further mapping of the area.

Taking note of the court’s stand, the petitioners withdrew their plea for stay and also the writ petition filed before a single judge challenging the encroachment drive, after the bench said it won’t allow parallel proceedings before NGT and court to continue.

Last week, DDA had demolished 100s of jhuggis in a drive to remove encroachments in the Yamuna floodplain.

Earlier this year, the Yamuna monitoring committee had told the green tribunal that almost 959 hectares of the rivers’ floodplain were currently encroached on and needed to be secured by DDA. In its final report, it stated that an area of 954.2 hectares was encroached on or in agricultural use, while another 5.26 hectares were currently under litigation. It added that the Millennium Park bus depot, which was under the Supreme Court and NGT’s scanner, was indeed a part of the river’s “O” zone where construction and commercial activities were prohibited.