400ha encroachments at floodplains cleared in 2 years: DDA to NGT

In a status report informing the National Green Tribunal (NGT) of encroachments on the Yamuna floodplains, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has said that it has removed encroachments from over 401 hectares since June 2022. The area for the 10 redevelopment projects is now almost free of encroachment, barring those land under litigation, it added.

“It is respectfully submitted that from June 2022 till date, DDA has freed 991.85 acres or 401.4 hectares of land on the Yamuna floodplains from encroachment by demolishing illegal structures, including jhuggis, religious structures, dairies, playing fields and cultivation,” DDA said in a submission, dated July 13, stating that it was making efforts to revive the floodplains.

It added that encroachment drives were being regularly carried out with the help of the Delhi Police. However, DDA added that the land encroached upon at Majnu Ka Tilla has not been recovered as the Delhi high court has imposed a stay there.

The submission said that the floodplains on the south of Gurdwara Majnu Ka Tilla on the Yamuna riverbed had been encroached by 482 Pakistan-Hindu nationals. “In an order dated May 29, 2013, the Delhi high court had directed these Pakistan-Hindu nationals be accommodated and rehabilitated,” it said, adding that a demolition drive for the area was finalised in March, but could not be carried out due to lack of availability of police force.

DDA said that on the basis of the evacuation notice served to these inhabitants, they approached the Delhi high court and received a stay order on the same. “Since the petitioner in 2013 had moved the petition on behalf of the settlers in the ‘Pakistani Hindu refugee camp at Majnu Ka Tilla’, the high court has stayed action in these Pakistani-Hindu settlements,” it added.

NGT has been hearing a petition filed in 2019, where a local resident alleged that the floodplain on the south of Majnu Ka Tila Gurdwara had been encroached upon and was being damaged.

On July 11, DDA came under rap from the Delhi high court, who, in a separate case, directed it to remove all encroachments and illegal construction on the Yamuna riverbank, riverbed and drains flowing into the rivers and submit a report on the same.

DDA’s submission to NGT further showed that out of the 10 major redevelopment projects being undertaken on more than 1,600 hectare on the Yamuna floodplains, four were completely free of encroachments, with others having encroached land that included land under litigation.

The highest — over 100 hectares of encroached land — was at the site being redeveloped into the 397.75-hectare Mayur Nature Park. This is followed by 27 hectares at Kalindi Biodiversity Park – all under litigation, followed by 17.8 hectares at Kalindi Aviral, also under litigation. Around 15.7 hectares is encroached upon at the 236.5 hectares area for Yamuna Vanasthali, out of which 13 hectares was under litigation.

Of the different ghats being developed on the floodplains, over a total area of 66 hectares, 4.9 hectares was left under encroachment, with 0.25 hectares under litigation. “A drive to free up the area not under litigation will be conducted soon,” DDA said, adding that at the site for Amrut Biodiversity Park, 0.5 hectares was left under encroachment, which too was under litigation.

Bhim Singh Rawat, a Yamuna activist and member of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People said though removing such encroachments was a welcome move, DDA was still overlooking other obvious encroachments on the floodplains. “We have recently seen a casting yard come up along the floodplains at Sarai Kale Khan. Similarly, despite directions to restore the floodplain land of the Millenium bus depot, as per Delhi high court and Supreme Court orders, little work has been done there. It is easy to remove farmers from the floodplains, but DDA needs to ensure other projects, particularly dumping of waste and debris, along the floodplains is stopped,” said Rawat.