Uttar Pradesh Districts Crack Down on Illegal Structures Amid Controversy

The Bahraich district administration demolished 23 illegal structures, leading to protests from residents. Similar actions took place in Kannauj and Fatehpur. Local officials and residents dispute the nature and legitimacy of these demolitions, with some claiming they target minority communities. The Supreme Court's stance on unauthorized constructions has influenced these operations.

In a controversial move, the Bahraich district administration on Wednesday bulldozed 23 illegal structures in the Kaiserganj village. The action, ordered by the high court, met with protests from local residents, many of whom claimed that the affected houses belonged to the minority community.

Similar demolitions were carried out in Uttar Pradesh's Kannauj and Fatehpur districts. In Kaiserganj, some structures were part of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, while others included shops, locals stated. Sub-Divisional Magistrate Alok Prasad reported that the demolitions occurred in Wazirganj Bazar and involved a total of 23 structures. The clearance followed public interest litigation by a local named Hadisul, and most residents were notified and vacated voluntarily.

In Kannauj, unauthorized structures at the Umarda Primary School were razed following a teacher's complaint. Fatehpur saw similar actions where 137 structures were marked for removal, and 24 were demolished. Authorities provided a month for the remaining residents to clear the encroachments. The Supreme Court underscored that while it will not protect unauthorized constructions, demolishing homes simply because someone is accused is unacceptable.

(With inputs from agencies.)