Stop anti-encroachment drive in Mehrauli: Delhi Govt to DDA

New Delhi, February 11

After the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) razed houses in Mehrauli on Friday, the Delhi Government has asked the DDA to stop anti-encroachment drive.

Delhi’s Revenue Minister Kailash Gahlot ordered fresh demarcation in the area. The Revenue Minister said the earlier demarcation was done by keeping the occupants in the dark, and without serving any notices to them. He has directed the District Magistrate (South) to conduct a fresh demarcation of the land, and immediately inform the DDA about the same.

Revenue minister orders fresh demarcation

The earlier demarcation was done by keeping the occupants in the dark, and without serving any notices to them. The District Magistrate (South) has been directed to conduct a fresh demarcation of the land. Kailash Gahlot, Delhi’s Revenue Minister

Notably, the DDA had used the Revenue Department’s demarcation as the basis of its demolition drive. The Delhi Government has, however, now struck down the demarcation after finding fallacies in its process.

Kailash Gahlot had received two representations in the case from Malviya Nagar MLA Somnath Bharti and residents of Ladha Sarai village, whose lands fall under the demolition area. It was stated in the said representations that demarcation of the said land by the Revenue Department of Delhi was the only source of the DDA to identify encroachment. It was also stated in the representations that the demarcation carried out by the Revenue Department was illegal and void-ab-initio. The demarcation was not done in accordance with law and the principles of natural justice were also not followed prior to the same.

Taking note of the representations, the Revenue Minister immediately called a meeting of the officials concerned. In the meeting, it was observed that the department had not issued notices to the said individuals, while carrying out the demarcation exercise, among other fallacies in the process.