Haldwani land encroachment case || 14-Schools, 10 Mosques, 12 Madrassas, 1-Temple in Eviction Zone

Following Uttarakhand’s High Court order, thousands of families including children and women near Haldwani railway station are set to be evacuated by the Railways and local administration in a week’s time. North-Eastern Railway has issued eviction notice via morning newspaper and stated that if not, all encroachments would be demolished and the cost recovered from the encroachers.

A report published in Indian Express confirmed that the demolition area is spread over 2.2 kilometres, and the affected area covers the slums of Gafoor Basti, Dholak Basti and Indira Nagar – all failing under Banbhoolpura area of Haldwani – and is hope to at least three government schools, 11 accredited private schools, 10 mosques, 12 madrassas, one government public health centre and a temple.

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Besides newspaper notice, repeated announcements from loud speakers, asking people to vacate the land, triggered widespread protest in Gafoor Basti and Dholak Basti, slums nearby Haldwani Railway station. In 2016-17, a joint survey conducted by the railways and the district administration had identified 4.365 ‘encroachments’ in the marked area.

Meanwhile, Indian Express reports has confirmed that Government Girls’ Inter College (1,000 students), GIC in Indira Nagar (2,000 enrolled students), and Shiv Gopal Sarawati Shishu Vidya Mandir (140 students), are under the eviction zone.

“My elder daughter Iram completed her education from the school, and now my daughters. If the school Is gone, I don’t know where they will study. This is the best girl’s college in the area,” Salauddin Ansari, member of the parent council at GGIC told Indian Express.

However, Nainital District Magistrate Dhiraj Singh Garbiyal clarified that administration has already identified a place near Lalit Arya Kanya Inter College and will create makeshift structure to consider classes for now.

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