Nainital (Uttarakhand): In an extensive operation on Saturday morning, government started the process of demolition of 135 illegal structures that had been erected on King Mahmudabad's enemy property in Nainital district, Uttarakhand. Altogether six JCB machines and five companies of Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC), along with eighty sub-inspectors and 150 women constables pressed into action for the demolition work.
It needs to mention that ‘The Enemy Property Act, 1968’- is an Act of the Parliament of India, which enables and regulates the appropriation of property in India owned by Pakistani nationals. The act was passed following the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. Ownership is passed to the Custodian of Enemy Property for India, a government department.
Prior to the commencement of the operation, the district administration had issued notices to the encroachers, instructing them to vacate their houses by Friday. However, in an attempt to halt the demolition drive, the encroachers had turned to the Uttarakhand High Court, seeking an injunction. The High Court, however, dismissed their plea and ordered them to vacate the properties immediately.
The situation escalated after the district administration's initial notices were contested in the High Court. The bench, led by the Chief Justice, refused to grant any relief to the encroachers, paving the way for the demolition process. Consequently, the bulldozers were deployed to the Metropole locality in Nainital city, where the illegal houses were situated.
Despite the warnings and impending demolition, most residents had already evacuated their houses by Friday afternoon as the bulldozers approached the area around 7:00 am on Saturday. Some individuals were spotted carrying their belongings during the demolition drive, highlighting the distressing circumstances they were facing. Furthermore, the authorities marked the houses set for demolition with red crosses, making their intentions clear.
