Bulldozer Action: On Wednesday, officials demolished several illegal properties with bulldozers in Bahraich, Kannauj and Fatehpur districts of Uttar Pradesh. On Wednesday, on the orders of the High Court, the administration bulldozed 23 properties built illegally on government land in a village located in the Kaisarganj tehsil area of ​​Bahraich district.

Villagers say that most of the demolished houses belong to the minority community whose generations have been living here for 70-80 years. Deputy District Magistrate of Kaiserganj Tehsil, Alok Prasad, said that people had illegally occupied government land in Wazirganj market of Sarai Jagna Gram Panchayat of Kaiserganj Tehsil.

He said that a woman named Hadisul, a resident of this village, had filed a PIL in the Lucknow Bench of the High Court against these illegal encroachments. Prasad said that the court, while giving its verdict on the petition, had ordered the government land to be vacated in May 2023. According to the Deputy District Magistrate, in accordance with the order, notices were given to all the occupants to vacate the land and during this time the legal process was also completed.

The Deputy District Magistrate said that when the administration asked the villagers to vacate the property citing the High Court's order, most of the people cooperated and vacated the property. Prasad said that today all the 23 properties were demolished using bulldozers in the presence of police and revenue personnel .

Meanwhile, the weeping villagers told reporters, "Some have had their houses and shops here for 50 years, some for 70-80 years and some for 90 years. Hundreds of people, including women and children, are living in these houses. Dozens of families are earning their livelihood from these shops. Now the government people have come to take possession of this land."

A rural woman said, "My house was built under Modiji's colony scheme, yet it is being demolished." The SDM said that after a PIL filed by local resident Hadisul, the High Court had ordered the occupants to vacate the land. The official said, "The administration issued notices to the occupants and most of the residents vacated their properties voluntarily."

School teacher's complaint
In a similar action on illegal construction, unauthorised structures were demolished at Umrada Primary School in Kannauj on Wednesday. Deputy District Magistrate, Tirwa, Ashok Kumar said the action was taken following a complaint by a school teacher about the construction of pillars for a religious place by the village head on about 70 square metres of school land.

Similarly in Fatehpur district, officials began removing encroachments on a 7.3-km stretch of road from Bandhwa to Chilla bridge. Public Works Department official Anil Kumar Gupta said 137 structures were identified for removal based on previous measurements marked in red. 

Minor disputes among locals
While some encroachers voluntarily removed their constructions, 24 structures were demolished by the officials. The remaining residents were given a month's time to remove their encroachments. He said that during the drive, there were minor disputes between officials and locals, but the encroachments were successfully removed using three bulldozers.

Assistant Engineer Gupta said that along with road construction, the drainage system would be improved as many houses were causing waterlogging on the road. Residents were given a month's time to vacate a mosque to widen the road further, after which follow-up action was scheduled.

This action has been taken after the Supreme Court on September 2 raised the question 'how can someone's house be demolished just because he is an accused' and said that it will not protect any unauthorized construction or encroachment on public places.