Widow evicted from freedom fighter’s colony
An 83-year-old widow of a freedom fighter moves to the Delhi HC after the Estate Department allegedly throws out her belongings from her allotted house, reports HT Correspondent.
An 83-year-old widow of a freedom fighter moved the Delhi High court on Monday after the Estate Department allegedly threw out her belongings from her allotted house in Lodhi Colony recently.
Asking the Centre to consider her rehabilitation, a vacation bench of Justice Rajiv Shakdher said, “If she wishes to move to a house meant for the freedom fighters, then consider this aspect and consult the Ministry of Home and Urban Development on this issue.” The court asked the centre to take a decision by June 27.
The direction came on the petition of Gyanwati Darwar seeking residential facilities on the ground that it was undertaken by the authorities that freedom fighters and their widows would be given lifetime residential facilities.
Gyanwati, who is suffering from various ailments, had to approach the court following the eviction bid by the Estate Department on June 2, initiated on the ground that the government scheme of providing lifetime residential facilities to widows of freedom fighters has been revoked.
Freedom fighter B S Darwar was allotted a type-IV quarter in Lodhi Colony in 1984 following a government scheme that the such persons would be entitled to free accommodation.
A year later, the scheme was amended and the benefits were extended to the widows of the freedom fighters also.
Gyanwati, whose only son lives in Australia, later got the eviction notice after her husband died in 2001 on the ground that the scheme was later revoked.