Haldwani encroachment: The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the High Court order to remove encroachments from railway land in Haldwani’’s Banbhoolpura area. It also issued notices to the Uttarakhand government and India Railways on the pleas challenging Uttarakhand High Court’s decision ordering the State authorities to remove encroachments from railway land in Haldwani’s Banbhoolpura area.
More than 4000 families in Haldwani started protests in order to save their homes after a High Court order directed raliway authorities to remove encroachment from their land. There are religious places, schools, business establishments and residences on an area spread over 29 acres of alleged encroached railway land in Banbhoolpura.
HERE ARE THE MAIN POINTS THAT THE APEX COURT OBSERVED:
- A bench of justices S K Kaul and A S Oka observed that it is a "human issue" and some workable solution needs to be found.
- It had directed that a week's notice be given to the encroachers after which the encroachments should be demolished.
- There cannot be uprooting of 50,000 people overnight. There has to be segregation of people who have no right on the land and the need to rehabilitation while recognising the need for railways.
- In the meantime there shall be a stay on the directions passed by the high court.
- We are also issuing notices for Railways and to the Uttarakhand government.
- Someone will have to go into the assessments of the problems involved.
- Govt must make sure there is no further occupation or construction.
- A practical way has to be found. It is not a mere encroachment. A lot of things will weigh due to the nature of the rights conferred.
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