More than 100 slums demolished in Surat, no department is ready to take responsibility, matter reached High Court

Tezzbuzz Desk- The matter of demolition of more than 100 slums in Ved Darwaza area of ​​Surat city of Gujarat is now embroiled in controversy. The most surprising thing is that no government department is coming forward to take responsibility for this action. Local residents allege that their houses were demolished by using bulldozers in the presence of police and administrative officials, while the concerned departments are distancing themselves from this action.

It is being told that on 28th of last month, about 100 slums of the area were demolished in the presence of police. The affected families say that they were not given any prior notice nor was the legal process followed.

Basti resident Hussain Aziz Sheikh has filed a petition in the Gujarat High Court regarding this matter. He has demanded from the court that the action of demolishing slums should be immediately stopped and an impartial investigation should be conducted into this matter. The petition claims that the administration destroyed people’s homes without prior notice and following legal rules.

The controversy deepened when Surat Municipal Corporation denied any role in this action. Municipal Corporation Commissioner N. Nagarajan said corporation officials had gone to the spot only to demarcate the road. According to him, the land in question is privately owned and a part of it is reserved for road construction under the town planning scheme. He clarified that the Municipal Corporation had not ordered any kind of demolition.

On the other hand, the police have put the responsibility of this matter on the Municipal Corporation. At the same time, local BJP MLA Vinu Moradia has also raised questions on the entire incident. He says that if the Municipal Corporation did not take action, then on whose orders were the slums demolished? He has demanded transparency and accountability in the matter.

Local people allege that in the presence of Municipal Corporation officials and policemen, bulldozers arrived and their houses were demolished. Usually, the action to remove illegal construction is taken by the Municipal Corporation, but after the refusal of the Corporation, many questions have been raised on this entire matter.

Petitioner Hussain Aziz Shaikh has made Gujarat government, Surat Municipal Corporation, Surat Police Commissioner, Deputy Commissioner and Special Operation Group (SOG) respondents in his petition. He says that no agency of the administration is ready to take responsibility for this action, while hundreds of people have lost their roof over their heads.

Now the matter is before the Gujarat High Court, where the court can investigate on whose orders the bulldozer was used on the slums and whether legal procedures were followed in this action. At present the affected families are demanding justice and rehabilitation.