my uttarakhand news Bureau
Dehradun, 24 Feb: A delegation of the Congress met Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan at the Secretariat here today and submitted a memorandum demanding grant of ownership rights to residents of slum settlements across the state. The delegation was led by former MLA Rajkumar. The delegation urged the State Government to take concrete action in favour of the inhabitants and ensure their long-term security and rehabilitation.
The delegation claimed before the Chief Secretary that during the previous Congress Government, a set of rules had been framed to confer ownership rights upon residents of slum settlements. The memorandum stated that the proposal had been approved by the Cabinet and the State Assembly, and a provision of Rs 400 crores had been made for the maintenance and development of slum areas. As per the survey conducted by the committee constituted for this purpose, there are 582 identified slum settlements in Uttarakhand, with an estimated population of over 18 lakh people residing in these areas across the State.
The memorandum further states that in Dehradun municipal area alone, the population residing in slum settlements exceeds seven lakhs, with more than two lakh kutcha and pucca structures constructed in these localities. The delegation pointed out that many of these settlements came into existence between 1977 and 1980 and have been inhabited for several decades. It was also claimed that had lease deeds been granted earlier, these properties would have attained freehold status by now. The memorandum also recalls that in October 2016, the then Congress government had initiated the process by granting ownership rights to nearly 100 families in certain slum areas, following which many occupants regularised their possession.
The delegation contended that the State Government has the authority to utilise vacant land in public interest and that, therefore, it would be appropriate to grant land ownership and proprietary rights to all those residing in such settlements. It alleged that the present government has been proceeding with measures against slum settlements, causing hardship and uncertainty among residents. The Congress delegation requested that the settlements be regularised and permanent ownership rights be conferred upon the inhabitants. It further stated that if there are any technical or practical constraints, then adequate arrangements for proper rehabilitation must be ensured before any eviction or demolition is carried out.
The memorandum also raised concerns regarding the proposed elevated road project over the Rispana and Bindal rivers as a measure to address traffic congestion in Dehradun. The delegation sought clarity on the extent to which residents of slum settlements located along the riverbanks would be affected by the project. It demanded that before undertaking any displacement in the name of the elevated road, the government must first provide proper rehabilitation and resettlement to the affected families.
Among those present in the delegation were former Mahanagar Congress President Lalchand Sharma, Kuldeep Kohli and other senior Congress leaders.
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