SC directs Faridabad civic body to speed up redevelopment, afforestation in Khori Gaon

New Delhi [India], April 2 (ANI): The Supreme Court has directed Faridabad Municipal Corporation to speed up the process of redevelopment and afforestation of the Khori Gaon area.
"In addition, the Corporation shall speed up the process of redevelopment/afforestation of the entire area and to facilitate that, the Secretary of the Forest Department, Government of Haryana shall issue appropriate directions for providing suitable species of plants and herbs through Forest Court Department, as indicated in the Status Report already filed in this Court," the SC said.
The direction came by a bench of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Justice Abhay S Oka and Justice CT Ravikumar.
The court noted that land from where unauthorized structures have been removed is being misused by the locals.
The court directed the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, Faridabad to ensure that any type of misuse of the subject land is stopped with immediate effect and encroachments thereon are removed forthwith.
To facilitate the Corporation to comply with this direction, the Superintendent of Police, Faridabad shall provide necessary police assistance to the Corporation, the court directed the Municipal Commissioner, as well as the Superintendent of Police, Faridabad.
It also directed the civic and police officials to ensure that the land in question is not improper utilization or encroached upon in the future after the removal of existing encroachments thereon, if any.
The court also directed the Corporation to pay the ex-gratia solatium amount of Rs 2,000 per month to the eligible persons (about 1027 in number) until the date of issue of the possession letter by the Corporation.
It further noted that the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad submits that the eligible persons, will be allotted premises on a permanent basis by end of April 2022 in habitable condition.
The Supreme Court was hearing the case involving Khori Gaon Residents Welfare Association.
Khori Gaon, RWA had moved the Supreme Court seeking its direction for a stay of its earlier order directing the Haryana government to demolish around 10,000 residential houses constructed illegally at Khori village in Faridabad, as it falls in the Aravali area.
It had, on June 7, 2021, in its order directed the Haryana government and the other authorities concerned, to remove around 10,000 residential houses constructed illegally at Khori village in Haryana's Aravali forest area. (ANI)