The Indian Express 19.11.2013
Demolition of Colony Number 5 likely on Nov 20
With the deadline given to the residents of Colony Number 5 for shifting to the rehabilitation colony in Dhanas set to end this week, a demolition drive is likely to take place there on November 20. A meeting of all the departments involved with the process would be held on Monday to take a final decision.
Chandigarh Housing Board has constructed 8,448 one-room tenements at Dhanas under the Slum Rehabilitation Scheme with funds from Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission. The keys of the tenements were handed over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in September this year. The beneficiaries were given a month to shift, from the date when allotment letters were issued. Thereafter a 21-day deadline was set for the shift.
With the deadline coming to an end, people are yet to shift to the houses allotted to them. Some take the plea that shifting now would affect education of their children and they should be allowed to stay till the end of this session. Others state that shifting would take them away from their place of work. The number of people residing in the colony have increased from the time the last biometric survey was done. While the tenements have been allotted to those whose names were there in the biometric survey, there would be several others who do not figure in the list.
Meanwhile, political parties are already terming the move unjustified. Senior BJP leader Harmohan Dhawan says that it would not be feasible for the Administration to demolish the hutments whose residents have been allotted tenements at Dhanas and leave out the others. People are facing problems in allotment of houses and these need to be rectified.
BSP convener Haffiz Anwar-ul-Haq holds a similar opinion. He stated that till the school session ends, people should not be shifted from the colony.
Once Colony Number 5, which is one of the biggest colonies in the city, is demolished, a part of the land would be used for construction of roads while some would be fenced for future use and planning for the same would be done.
