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UP irrigation dept writes to Delhi govt for help in clearing encroachers
NOIDA The Uttar Pradesh irrigation department has approached the Delhi government to help remove encroachers from around 20 hectares of its prime properties located in the Capital, said officials
NOIDA The Uttar Pradesh irrigation department has approached the Delhi government to help remove encroachers from around 20 hectares of its prime properties located in the Capital, said officials.
The total land owned by the department in Delhi is around 1,007 hectares. These are at Madanpur Khadar, Jaitpur, Okhla, Jamia, Iron Bridge (Loha Pul) near Gandhi Nagar and Kalindi Kunj, among others, said officials.
“We have written to South East Delhi deputy commissioner seeking the administration help in freeing our land. We have decided to first demarcate our land in a joint operation with Delhi officials and then start taking possession,” said BK Singh executive engineer of UP irrigation department.
The move follows the Uttar Pradesh government’s order to officials to evict encroachers and protect land, said officials familiar with development.
Officials say freeing the land at khasra (land chunk) number 612 in Madanpur Khadar, which is around 4000 square metres, will be a challenge as the encroachers are Rohingya who had fled persecution in Myanmar, officials added.
The irrigation department said that the non-government organisation Zakat Foundation had rehabilitated 55 Rohingya families to a village in Madanpur Khadar four years ago. A fire in 2018 forced these families to be moved to the UP irrigation department’s land.
“The Zakat Foundation said these families will be shifted from our land in a week but that was not done and now we want it back,” said Singh, adding that around 70 families live there.
Abdul Rahman administrative officer from Zakat Foundation, said, “The administration jointly with UP irrigation department is shifting these Rohingya families to Zakat land. We had helped these families settle at our land. But due to fire these families were provided land on UP government land. We are helping Rohingya families in whatever way we can.”
South East Delhi deputy commissioner Viswendra said, “We have sought permission from the Delhi lieutenant-governor (L-G) to free the land. Once we get that, we will demarcate and free the land. Some families were shifted back to the Zakat Foundation after the fire, but some remained.”
