SC stays proposed eviction in Haldwani

'50,000 people cannot be uprooted overnight'

Press Trust of India

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday stayed the Uttarakhand High Court order for removal of encroachments from 29 acres of land claimed by the railways in Haldwani, calling it a "human issue" and saying 50,000 people cannot be uprooted overnight.

Amid protests by residents who insist they have title to the land, a bench of Justices S K Kaul and A S Oka said a workable solution needs to be found. According to the railways, there are 4,365 encroachers on the land. Nearly 50,000 people, a majority of them Muslims, belonging to over 4,000 families reside on the disputed land.

The apex court issued notices to the railways and the state government seeking their responses to a batch of pleas challenging the high court order for removal of encroachments. "Notice. In the meantime, there shall be stay of directions passed in the impugned order," said the bench, which posted the matter for further hearing on February 7.

"We do believe that a workable arrangement is necessary to segregate people who may have no rights in the land.... coupled with schemes of rehabilitation which may already exist while recognising the need of the Railways," the bench said. The top court observed that the authorities have to find a "practical way out".

"There are multiple angles arising from the nature of the land, ownership of the land, the nature of rights conferred....," it said, adding, "We are trying to tell you, find out some solution. This is a human issue." The bench also observed that the Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, who appeared for the railways, has emphasised on the needs of the railways.