Cruelty Amidst Biting Cold Weather: Houses Demolished In Delhi, Many Left Homeless (image-pixabay)

On December 21, the Municipal cooperation of Delhi (MCD) demolished 300 houses near DPS Mathura Road in Nizamuddin. This cruelty has left many roofless amid the biting cold of December. As per the weather forecast, the maximum temperature in these regions was around 16 degrees Celsius.

Despite the Supreme Court guidelines requiring no demolitions to take place during extreme weathers, the MCD proceeded with the procedure. Several Delhi residents had to spent their days around small fires over the rubbles of their homes.

Pointing to a bed covered in debris, 39-year-old Lalita Devi recounted the pain and shock of witnessing the destruction of her home. “I had just returned from my parents’ house when I saw bulldozers gathering to demolish our homes. I hurried to salvage what I could, but my home had turned to rubble,” reports Indian express. And the worst part of her story was the recent investment of their life savings was used for renovating their houses which are now nothing but dusts and rubbles.

50 workers, eight trucks, and two anti-smog guns with police personnel were deployed to clear the settlement. This demolition was executed on the basis of satellite imagery indicating the absence of settlement imagery indicating the absence of any settlement before 2006 in the area.

When enquired about why the demolition procedure was carried out in the midst of winter, the sources in the civic body said demolitions could not take place in November due to GRAP III guidelines (under which construction and demolition activities are barred) being in place to curb pollution.

They claimed that people encroached upon agricultural land to build their homes. Rejecting the claim, one of the residents, 22-year-old Moin Uddin claimed his family ties to the land span nearly four decades.

Residents claimed that they approached shelters under the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) for rehabilitation, but got no help.

A similar demolition of houses was also reported near Sai Mandir in Malviya Nagar’s Khirki Extension, a densely populated region in South Delhi. As per the report five homes were levelled by the MCD and DDA on December 6.

Other areas that saw similar demolition drives in recent months include Pradhan Enclave in Burari, Mandawali, Trilokpuri, Narela’s Bakhtawarpur, Aya Nagar, Bhatti mines, Mundka, Mehrauli, Green Park, Chandni Chowk, Alipur and Sadar Bazar.