Kaushambi slum to be razed today

GHAZIABAD: Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) is planning to carry out a massive anti-encroachment drive in Kaushambi on Tuesday.According to the plan, a slum occupying a 16,000 sqm a piece of land just opposite Radisson Hotel will be razed to ground.The drive follows an Allahabad high court order, which states that the land should be cleared by January 22.The GDA has sought police deployment and has requested that representatives from the district administration be present to supervise the drive.The slum has come up on GDA land worth Rs 200 crore. “We are proceeding with the drive on the orders of the Allahabad high court,” said a GDA official.The Kaushambi Apartments Welfare Association (KARWA) had filed in a petition in Allahabad High Court October last year and had asked the civic agency to clear off the land of encroachment. KARWA in its petition had said that the area is a big nuisance as many slum dwellers are engaged in drug peddling, selling illicit liquor and prostitution.

“Since October the administration and the civic agency have been buying time on some pretext or the other but on December 2 hearing of the court categorically asked the area to be cleared off within a stipulated time,” said Vinay Kumar Mittal, KARWA president.The area as per GDA has more than 300 shanties and close to 1500 people live there and after the drive many of them would be evicted including women and children. When asked whether the slum dwellers has been served any notice, Preeti Jaiswal, ADM City said, “There has been more than eight rounds of talks with slum dwellers and they seem to be adamant, hence we are have no choice other than to forcefully evict them and clear the area in compliance with the Allahabad High Court order.”The administration is leaving nothing to chance and has asked SSP to ensure adequate police presence. “We have spared police force from adjoining area during the time of drive and SP City will personally oversee the operation” says Dharmender Singh SSP, Ghaziabad..