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Yogi allays ‘demolition’ fears of residents
Emphasizing that there cannot be any justification for putting red marks on houses in Kukrail floodplain, Adityanath said accountability should be fixed for this
LUCKNOW Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday allayed fears of residents of Pant Nagar, Indraprastha Nagar, Rahim Nagar, Abrar Nagar and other areas who had been apprehensive over misleading reports about the demolition of their houses. On July 16, Hindustan Times was the only daily that published the report ‘No house along Kukrail to be demolished’.
Addressing concerns of affected families who visited his residence, Adityanath emphasized that whether in Pant Nagar or Indraprastha Nagar, the state government is dedicated to ensuring safety and peaceful living of all its citizens.
“In the related case, the floodplain zone of Kukrail river has been marked in accordance with NGT orders. Private land is also included in the floodplain zone. However, currently there is no need or proposal to vacate private land. There is no matter under consideration for the demolition of private buildings on private land,” he said.
The CM noted that the signs put on the buildings during the floodplain zone surveys have caused fear and confusion among the public. Emphasizing that there cannot be any justification for putting red marks on houses, Adityanath said accountability should be fixed for this.
He also issued necessary instructions for improving cleanliness and public facilities in the said areas. Officials have been directed to visit the areas immediately, meet residents, and alleviate their fears and confusion.
Speaking to the affected families, the CM assured that if any building constructed on private land falls within the riverbed development zone and has certified private ownership, it will only be acquired after providing proper compensation as per rules.
Following their meeting with the chief minister, the relieved families expressed their gratitude and chanted slogans of ‘Yogi hai toh yakeen hai’ (‘with Yogi, there is confidence’).
To revive Kukrail river and make it pollution-free, the irrigation department recently marked the floodplain zone in compliance with NGT orders. The said action aligns with the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) notification issued in 2016.
Two zones of Kukrail river have been marked: the riverbed and the floodplain zone. The riverbed has been designated at a width of approximately 35 metres, while the floodplain zone extends up to 50 metres from the riverbank, as marked by the irrigation department.
Rakesh Mani Tripathi, a resident of Pant Nagar, said: “I am so relieved after meeting the chief minister. He has addressed all our concerns.”
“Many false claims were being spread by certain individuals about the floodplain zone marking, leading to an atmosphere of fear and confusion among locals,” said another resident.
