New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday asked
DDA to inform it as to whether a detailed survey of slums was
conducted before commencing the demolition drive in the city.
Issuing a notice to DDA, Justice Muralidhar in an order
said "whether a complete survey document, which would show the
status of each person whose jhuggi was demolished, was
available with DDA prior to the demolition. DDA will place on
record a copy of such door-to-door survey, if available" and
fixed April 27 for further hearing of the matter.
The court accepted the argument of a slum dweller`s
counsel that pursuant to the Supreme Court order in 2003, the
Centre has come out with a rehabilitation scheme for slum
dwellers before their houses were demolished by the civic
agency.
The court was hearing a petition filed by an NGO seeking
a stay order on the DDA drive which commenced on March 23 to
demolish Punjabi Basti alleging the government has removed the
slums without rehabilitating the poor people.
To ensure the right to education of the children living
in the slums and going to nearby schools, Justice Muralidhar
directed the government to give a detailed affidavit about
7000 children that their education should not be disturbed.
The court also directed an affidavit from DDA as to
whether it has taken care of the aspect that the dwellers,
including the lactating and pregnant women, were the
beneficiaries of the Integrated Child Development Scheme(ICDS)
before the demolition was carried out.
"It will explain how Anganwadi centres functioning in the
slums could be demolished without making alternative
arrangements", the court said.
PTI
