Delhi minister slams Centre over demolition of houses in slum cluster

The slum cluster, inhabited by about 1,000 to 1,500 people, most of whom work as ragpickers, street hawkers, domestic helps, was demolished in a drive following a court order last week

Delhi Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj slammed the Centre on Tuesday over the demolition of houses at a slum cluster located between the Sunder Nursery and Delhi Public School, Mathura Road.

Bharadwaj alleged that through its Land And Development Office (LNDO) department, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre took a "cruel stand" in the high court to demolish the slums and that the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) was "duty-bound to rehabilitate" the poor people before their houses were demolished.

The slum cluster, inhabited by about 1,000 to 1,500 people, most of whom work as ragpickers, street hawkers, domestic helps, labourers and small-scale traders, was demolished in a drive following a court order last week.

"According to the law, the central government's DDA was duty-bound to rehabilitate these poor people before the demolition of their homes. Even though the high court had provided the relief in view of the Graded Response Action Plan-3, the Centre provided special permission to demolish their homes in the winter. It is shocking that the Centre did not think about these poor families, their children and the elderly," Bharadwaj said.

"No government can be as inhuman as the Centre. One can imagine the condition of these families, who will now have to live on the roads, without even a roof on their heads," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader added.