Supreme Court's Directive on Haldwani Encroachments Sparks Public Interest Debate

The Supreme Court has directed the Uttarakhand State Government to develop a rehabilitation plan for over 50,000 residents of Banbhoolpura, Haldwani, living on encroached railway land. This directive follows a stay on a previous high court order for their immediate eviction. Local leaders and residents welcome the court's humanitarian stance.

The Supreme Court has instructed the Uttarakhand State Government to present a rehabilitation plan for the residents of Banbhoolpura, Haldwani, occupying encroached railway land. The decision, aimed at relocating over 50,000 individuals, has received positive feedback from local leaders who emphasize the humanitarian approach.

In a session held on Wednesday, the Supreme Court mandated Uttarakhand's chief secretary to collaborate with Central and Railway authorities for the effective resettlement of these residents. This directive came in response to a plea for the review of an earlier order by the Uttarakhand High Court to clear the encroachments.

Local leaders, including Congress MLA Sumit Hridayesh and Samajwadi Party's Abdul Matin, have praised the Supreme Court's interim orders. They advocate for a compassionate approach, urging the Railways and State Government to consider the socio-economic impact on the residents, predominantly consisting of over 4,000 Muslim families.

(With inputs from agencies.)