Illegal construction

Ashrams, houses and business complexes have been built on the very bank of the holy river. Illegal constructions are also being done in the name of religion. Recently the district administration identified 531 illegal constructions at public places in the name of religion. Now, it is posing a problem for the district administration to implement a decision of the Supreme Court and demolish these constructions.

The HDA, which was set up for the planned development of the Kumbh mela area including Haridwar and Rishikesh, has not so far been able to demolish even a single illegal construction, though as per records, it has passed orders for the demolition of 4172 constructions till date and hearing on the legality of 1532 constructions is going on in the HDA and 900 cases of alleged illegal constructions are pending in the court of the CJM. The people have started thinking that the HDA is a 'toothless tiger'. "We have to depend on the district administration and the police to carry out our orders. There is staff crunch also. A massive and determined drive is required to clean the Augean stables,: admits the secretary of the HDA.

Deepak Nautiyal, a teacher near Rishikul College, says that the people are also to be blamed for this bane of the city. "No drive against illegal constructions can be successful without public support. The administration many times started the drive against encroachments and illegal constructions, but it had to be dropped due to stiff opposition from the vested interests. In some cases the personnel engaged in the drive were roughed up. Unless enlightened citizens come forward against the menace, the situation on the front of encroachments and illegal constructions will remain dismal," asserts Nautiyal.