Demolition drive: Now Karnal residents protest outside DC’s residence

The protesters, including women, accused the district town planner of demolishing their under-construction houses without any prior information

Angry over the demolition of under-construction buildings in unapproved colonies of Karnal, a group of people on Sunday held a protest outside the deputy commissioner’s residence, demanding compensation for the damaged properties and action against the district town planner.

Angry over the demolition of under-construction buildings in unapproved colonies of Karnal, a group of people on Sunday held a protest outside the deputy commissioner’s residence. (Image for representational purpose)

The protesters, including women, accused the district town planner of demolishing their under-construction houses without any prior information.

The protesters initially assembled outside the mini-secretariat, but later shifted the protest to the deputy commissioner’s residence.

Amid heavy police deployment, they staged a protest for more than an hour. Later, officials of the district administration reached the spot and tried to pacify them. The protesters handed over a memorandum to the Karnal city magistrate which was addressed to the chief minister.

They provided the papers of their properties registered in their names and alleged that they had paid hefty stamp duty on the registration of these plots and yet their residential properties were demolished deliberately. They also sought action against the officials who had registered their deeds in the unapproved colonies.

The officials requested the protesters to form a committee and then the deputy commissioner will meet them. They threatened to intensify their agitation if their demands were not met by July 14.

Karnal district town planner RS Bhat had said that action will be taken if any illegal construction was reported in the district as there are around 144 unapproved colonies and a survey of these colonies is pending. The decision will be made in the next three to four months. He appealed to the people to avoid construction works in unapproved areas.

Addressing a public meeting at Kurukshetra, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had also said that a survey of around 2,000 illegal colonies in the state was going on and these colonies will be approved soon after the completion of the survey.

Karnal deputy commissioner Anish Yadav said, “We will expedite the process of the survey of these illegal colonies in the district.”