New Delhi, Oct 5 (PTI) The Faridabad municipal corporation on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that it has demolished several structures, including six farmhouses, which were on forest land.

The apex court, which was hearing the matter about Khori village in Faridabad where unauthorised structures which came under the Aravali forest area were removed, was told by the civic body that due process is being followed before proceeding against unauthorised structures on the forest land.

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The counsel appearing for the corporation told a bench of justices A M Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari that they have filed two status reports, including the one which contain detail of the demolition of structures.

“It is worth mentioning that some structures were demolished which were clear from all aspects and no objections or injunction order were raised or shown by the owners,” it said.

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As per the detail given in the status report, action has been taken in the months of August and September this year against nine structures which included six farmhouses and three marriage palaces.

“You have given details of demolition done in respect of some of the structures and most of the structures are not demolished because of the pending issues,” the bench asked the corporation's counsel.

The counsel said the apex court had given direction that representation can be made by the owners of structures to the forest department, which would examine whether the structure is on forest land or whether it is unauthorised and decide on it.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for Haryana, said the forest department has taken the decision on the representations and referred to the amendment to the Punjab Land Preservation Act.

After hearing the submissions, the bench asked the state of Haryana to file an affidavit clearly stating the factual basis as to how the area has been notified as a forest area and posted the matter for hearing on October 8.

The apex court had earlier said that the corporation must proceed against every unauthorised structure standing on forest land.

In another status report filed in the top court, the municipal corporation has given details including that of the modified timeline for the process of allotment of EWS (Economically Weaker Section) flats under the rehabilitation scheme to eligible applicants of Khori 'jhuggis'.

It said a total of 2,583 applications have been received till September 29 and 360 applicants have taken temporary possession of flats till September 30.

The report said that process of issuing provisional allotment letters and handing over temporary possession shall continue in a phased manner.

It said as per the apex court's direction, the timeline for rehabilitation has been modified and the last date of submission of application is now November 15 and final allotment letters would be issued on December 15.

The corporation said it has also accepted the suggestion to reduce the initial payment for the EWS flat from Rs 17,000 to Rs 10,000 and further increased the period of repayment from 15 to 20 years.

It said a suitable amendment in the policy in this regard will be made after the approval of the state government.

The report said the civic body had carried out a drone survey of the unauthorised structures in Khori ‘jhuggis' for planning a phased demolition drive and identified a total of 6,663 units/structures by numbering the terraces as counted from drone pictures.

On June 7, the top court had directed Haryana and Faridabad municipal corporation to remove “all encroachments”, consisting of around 10,000 residential constructions, in the Aravali forest area near the village, saying “land grabbers cannot take refuge of rule of law” and talk of “fairness”.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)