Gurgaon: Sector 57 residents upset over no action against illegal shanties

The residents of Sector 57, Gurgaon, claimed over 200 unauthorised slums have come up in the last three years and the authorities, despite repeated pleas, are yet to act.

The residents of Sector 57 have voiced their displeasure over the illegal shanties that have come up in the area over the last three years despite an administrative order to act against all unauthorised structures.

Sector 57 residents say the authorities are turning a blind eye to the burgeoning illegal slums in the area. (HT FILE PHOTO)

They claimed over 200 such slums have come up in the last three years and the authorities, despite repeated pleas, are yet to act.

They said though chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, the grievance cell of the Haryana government and senior town planners have issued orders to crack down on illegal shanties, the district town planner has continued to drag his feet in the matter.

Members of the residents’ welfare association (RWA) have been shuttling from one department to another over the last three years in the quest of some relief, but got little more than platitudes and hollow assurances.

“Official data bears proof that not only have the administrative orders been violated, but there’s simply no stopping the construction of illegal shanties across the city. “This goes to show the level of apathy that exists and demonstrates that the authorities are unmoved by the plight of the residents. Even the local MLA requested the authorities to crack down on unauthorised slums, but they simply turned a deaf ear,” Joginder Singh, former RWA president of Sushant Lok 2, said.

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The residents said that despite several complaints to the civic agencies and their tall claims, none of their concerns have been addressed. They claimed the area that they reside in has been throwing up a nauseating stench from the garbage pile and random littering in these unauthorised slums over the last three months, but the authorities have continued to look away.

“The Swachh Bharat campaign, which was launched by Prime Minister Modi in 2014 in the quest of a clean India, has been reduced to a joke by the Gurgaon administration. We have to suffer the urban nightmare of open defecation and clogged open drains and the gut-wrenching stench across block F on a daily basis. Yet, the authorities don’t seem to care,” Rajeev Batra, a resident of block F, said.

The residents knocked on the doors of the ormer area counsellor, local MLA, deputy commissioner and even the chief minister, but no relief came their way. They also voiced concern over stagnant water and leaky sewage pipes in the unauthorised slums.

“Stagnant sewage water in the slums have been throwing up a stench over the last three months and its tough to pass this area without cringing at the sight of all the filth and slush around,” Gurjeet Singh, a resident of block F, said.

The area connecting blocks F, G and B is still waterlogged, driving health risks for nearby residents. Despite repeated calls for help, the sewage run-off has not been cleared.

The slum dwellers often resort to illegal ways of drawing water and electricity and the sewage covers are left open to enable the laying of cables.

“The slums have temporary toilets but the settlers don’t use them. They take bath in the open and the run-off isn’t cleared. The stagnant water turns into an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes,” Aashish Vasudeva, another resident of block F, said.

YM Mansuri, the senior town planner (STP), had issued orders to the department’s enforcement wing to act against illegal settlers, but nothing happened, the residents alleged.

The district town planner (DTP) promised a crackdown on unauthorised slums next month.

Rajinder Sharma, DTP, enforcement said, “We have received the order and have conducted the survey of the area. We’ve a packed schedule this month, but will take the necessary action next month.