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National Media Centre up in arms against Huda
The residents of the National Media Centre (NMC) near Shankar Chowk have accused the Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) of allegedly forcibly taking into possession two acres of the green belt falling inside the gated community’s premises to build a connecting road for a mall.
The residents of the National Media Centre (NMC) near Shankar Chowk have accused the Haryana Urban Development Authority (Huda) of allegedly forcibly taking into possession two acres of the green belt falling inside the gated community’s premises to build a connecting road for a mall.
“At around 5 am on May 8, numerous bulldozers, cranes and earth-moving vehicles entered the community after threatening the private security guards. The guard’s post and the boundary wall were also demolished, besides 50 trees that fell in the two acre area were uprooted,” said Kulwant Singh, NMC general secretary.
Alleging that the move was a contempt of court, Singh said, “We are already fighting two cases in the Punjab and Haryana High Court with Huda and DLF over the issue of green belt. Despite the matter being sub-judice, Huda has taken control of the land.”
The area residents alleged that Huda was trying to pre-empt the high court’s decision by trying to change facts on the ground.
They alleged that Huda had handed over two acres of the said land to DLF on a lease period of 99 years. “The legal basis on which Huda did this is unclear, and this forms the basis of NMC’s case against Huda and DLF,” said the residents.
“The road is not being constructed for the benefit of people. It is being build to suit DLF’s interest,” said Sidharth Pandey, a resident.
“We are not getting any support from the authorities,” said, Professor TK Oommen, president of the NMC residents’ body.
On the other hand, Huda has denied all the allegations.
“It is they who constructed the boundary wall inside the green belt. The land belongs to us. We need it to expand the road for the larger benefit of people,” said Praveen Kumar, Huda administrator.
The NMC’s case against DLF and Huda is scheduled for hearing in the Punjab and Haryana High Court on May 15.
Meanwhile, senior DLF officials refused to comment saying the matter involved Huda and not DLF.
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