Protesting villagers block Kalka Ambala highway

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2001/20010722/cth1.htm
Protesting villagers block Kalka-Ambala highway
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, July 21
Traffic on the Kalka-Ambala highway remained disrupted for nearly two hours here today as angry villagers of Bir Ghaggar in Chandimandir blocked traffic to vent their ire against yesterday’s demolition drive in the village.

The crowd dispersed after the villagers ‘extracted’ a commitment of table-talks on the matter with the district administration. The Deputy Commissioner, Ms Jyoti Arora, also assured the villagers that the demolished houses would be reconstructed under the Indira Aawas Yojana.

Earlier, in response to yesterday’s drive, lathi-wielding villagers came on to the highway in large numbers to lodge protest against the ‘treatment’ and seek a commitment from the administration against further use of force to dislodge them.

The blockade caused great inconvenience to students on their way to schools and colleges as also to the office-goers since it came at the rush hour, around 8:30 am when people were on their way to the offices. Till 10 am, all pleas of the public fell on deaf ears with the unrelenting villagers unwilling to step aside till an assurance from the administration.

The Sarpanch of the village, Mr Vinod Kumar, said that the Radha Soami satsang nearby had been given land at Rs 8 per square yard. ‘‘We are willing to pay Rs 16 for the same and yet they are bent on removing us,’’ he said.

The villagers also pointed out to the administration that bungling of revenue records had led to demolition of houses in the villages. ‘‘The land with khasra number 10/2 was in the name of three persons, Raghbir Singh, Balak Ram and Desh Mann. How this was changed to 14/2 remains a mystery. We want a thorough inquiry into this as well,’’ Mr Raghbir Singh said.

They claimed that Ms Arora had assured them that she would inquire into the matter and it would be taken up at the subsequent meeting with the villagers.

The INLD general secretary, Mr Pradeep Chaudhary, said that he had discussed the matter with the villagers and assured them that his party would mediate between them and the government to settle the dispute.

‘‘We have asked Ms Arora to shift the date of the meeting to July 25 instead of July 24 since a rally at Bhiwani will keep us busy on July 24. We want to be present when administration talks to the villagers on the issue of occupancy of the forest land. She has agreed to do so,’’ he added.

It maybe recalled that a demolition drive had been undertaken in Bir Ghaggar yesterday against encroachments on the forest land which was resented by the locals. Though the dispute was pending before a committee to decide the fate of the villagers, they were unwilling to leave the land.