PIL in Delhi HC seeks intervention in encroachment of jhuggi cluster on land under Defence Ministry, other public authorities

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been moved in Delhi High Court (HC) seeking intervention in the encroachment of jhuggi cluster upon a vast stretch of vacant land belonging to the Ministry of Defence and other public authorities behind the Majlis Park metro station, in north-west Delhi.

Petitioner Abhishek Sharma, a practicing lawyer claims that some of the initial residents of the jhuggi cluster were Pakistani immigrants seeking refuge in India.

He said that the recent expansion drive of the cluster includes individuals who are purchasing the jhuggies from some unidentified individuals, are acting at the behest of the local municipal councillors and members of the legislative assembly.

The plea seeks direction to hold a thorough investigation, prepare a detailed list of the dwellers at the said jhuggi cluster, verify the presence of foreign nationals at the said jhuggi cluster seeking refuge in India and bifurcate such foreign nationals present at the said jhuggi cluster from Indian citizens.

The plea calls for checking the veracity of credentials of the jhuggi dwellers and subsequently a check upon the intermingling of such foreign nationals along with the local Indian citizens.

The said plea will be heard on Monday by the bench of Chief Justice of Delhi High Court.

Additionally, the plea seeks direction to CBI to register an FIR, undertake an investigation to find the role of the erring bureaucrats or administrative officials along with police officials.

Furthermore, the plea states that from mid-2017, several unknown individuals started grabbing the said land and erected jhuggi like semi pucca structures upon the same over a period of time, their number have increased rapidly and the jhuggi expansion drive still continues to boom.

It added that even in the coronavirus led nationwide lockdown, the construction activities in the said jhuggi cluster have not ceased and they are continuing to plunder of public land, causing massive losses not just to the public exchequer but the degradation of the overall standard of living and habitable conditions of the adjoining localities as well.

Petitioner states that he has made several complaints to the respondents including the Union Ministry of Defence, Delhi Government, and the concerned civic body.

It added that the Defence Ministry has initiated the process of securing its land from encroachment.

According to the plea, all other land-owning agencies have also been directed to secure their land from encroachment by fencing and other measures. However, on the ground, no action whatsoever has been taken, by any of the authorities to date.

-ANI

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