Editor Mr.Mayank Rawat ( Chief Editor Mr. Rohit Mishra )
New Delhi: Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that over 12 lakh (12,34,981) square metres of the Yamuna floodplain, spanning a 22 km stretch from Wazirabad to Madanpur Khadar, are encroached upon. However, DDA said that it had reclaimed 1,459 acres in 2024 after removing various encroachments.
The encroachments include jhuggis, govt offices, two towers near a CNG pump, temples, a gurdwara, masjid dargah peer residential areas, gaushalas, akharas, workshops, Ladakh Budh Vihar monastery market, and Nigam Bodh Ghat.
NGT had previously pulled up DDA on Feb 6 for not complying with its 2019 order to clear encroachments, despite directives from the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court. The tribunal also sought comprehensive details of encroachments across the 22km-Yamuna stretch.
In a report dated April 2, DDA said the details of the encroachments identified by the DDA on the stretch of Yamuna floodplain from Wazirabad to Madanpur Khadar, along with the respective areas, geo-coordinates, action taken, and the concerned land-owning agency, have been compiled.
“According to the report, 32 plot areas covering 1.3 lakh square metres, along with agricultural lands and jhuggis spanning 10 lakh square metres, are among the identified encroachments. These also include government offices such as the Boat Club DM office, DJB pump house, MCD toilet, DUSIB shelter, and gas agency, whose areas were not specified. DDA also identified Nigam Bodh Ghat and Aruna Nagar as encroachments, with their areas also unspecified. However, migrant Hindu families from Pakistan have occupied an area of 4,181.47 square metres, and the matter is also currently being heard in the Delhi High Court.”
DDA said from the list of encroachments, some areas wherein the encroachments have been identified are subject matter of court proceedings before various courts and forums. “It may, however, be pertinent to mention here that an order of status quo has been passed in some of the matters, restricting further action until final decisions are made,” said DDA in its report.
DDA said an area of almost 1,459 acres has been reclaimed in 2024 from Yamuna floodplain during the encroachment-removal exercise with the demolition of 25 structures, which include religious structures, pucca houses, wrestling playground, cultivation, jhuggis, cattle sheds, parking and a rickshaw charging station.
“An area of almost 1,459 acres has been reclaimed in the said exercise, restoration of which has also been undertaken in terms of the area wise projects being developed for the rejuvenation of the floodplain,” said the report.
The report added that the vice chairman of DDA, on March 19, wrote to the additional secretary of the ministry of housing and urban affairs regarding the matter, requesting that it be forwarded to the ministry of home affairs for formulating a policy for the rehabilitation and resettlement of Hindu migrants from Pakistan.
NGT is hearing an execution application, seeking compliance of the order of the Tribunal dated Oct 17, 2019, on removal of encroachment.
Mayank Rawat
