Bulldozing of illegal properties became the new identity of Uttar Pradesh as Yogi Adityanath gave special attention to the law and order situations of the state while pacing it up on the tracks of all-around development. Just like the criminals surrendered in the police stations holding placards pleading not to encounter them, illegal property holders are now requesting the government to demolish their illegal properties. One such case appeared in Mitrapur Ehrola village under tehsil Shahabad of Rampur district when Ehsan Mian, a local citizen filed an application himself and appealed SDM Ashok Choudhary to demolish his own illegally built house fearing the bulldozing action by the government.
Initial investigations revealed that Ehsan Mian’s claim is true. His house is built partly on a dried pond and partly on the graveyard. Both these properties belong to the government and the waqf board respectively. According to a report by the Times of India, Ehsan Mian said, “We are staying in the house for nearly two generations. In our plot map, I recently found that the house was built illegally on the property of the waqf and the government. So I decided to file the application to demolish it.”
SDM Ashok Choudhary said, “Several homes in Mitrapur Ehrola village under tehsil Shahabad of Rampur district are built on dried-up ponds and graveyards. After a survey of the village, the administration found out that such land cannot be kept. We are now compelled to take action. Official notices will be sent to them soon.”
Dinesh Kumar is the tehsildar of Shahabad. He said, “The village is spread across over 200 hectares. People have been living here for more than 50 years. The SDM has shared with us the information and the administration will take appropriate measures to vacate government land. Nearly 50 families may be affected during the process. The administration has decided to provide land to some of the poor families to make their own houses.”
On the other hand, Ehsan Mian’s voluntary step of requesting the administration to demolish his illegal house has angered many in the village who have such illegal houses. Ehsan Mian sought protection from the local administration to save himself from being a target of the enraged villagers. Yogi Adityanath has repeatedly reminded people of the firm actions against miscreants and running bulldozers over illegally built properties in his speeches during the campaigning of the recently held assembly elections of Uttar Pradesh in which he returned to power with a thumping majority.
