Uprooting of 50,000 People Overnight...
Haldwani town in the northern state of Uttrakhand the demolition of more than 4,000 homes that were allegedly encroaching on the land belonging to the railways there has put on hold by India’s Supreme Court.
“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 recognizing the need of the railways,” on Thursday the Supreme Court had declared.
The high court passed an order of northern state on December 20, declaring that 4,365 houses adjacent in Haldwani’s Bandhulpura colony to the railway line”illegal” and therefore to be demolished.
On February 7, the court will next hear the matter and from the railways and the Uttrakhand government the Supreme Court has sought replies.
In the Himalayan town, situated about 300km (186 miles) from the federal capital New Delhi – most of them are Muslims. The top court’s ruling comes as a relief to about 50,000 people.
Since Thursday morning the residents were gathered in two places, women and men separately for community prayers, said they were relieved and thankful to the top court for considering their pleas from a humanitarian angle.
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