Directing the Government to allocate a better site to the Tibetan Government-in-exile, the Delhi High Court today asked how could the authorities discriminate between the Tibetans and its own citizens while removing unauthorised structures from the western side of the Yamuna river bank.
While hearing a PIL, a division bench of Chief Justice M K Sharma and Justice Rekha Sharma directed the government to resettle the Office of Tibetan Government-in-exile, a monastery and refugees at Majnu Ka Tila, Bela Road, Budh Vihar in a more hygienic and safer place.
Additional Solicitor General(ASG) Gopal Subramanium submitted that there would be international ramification if the Tibetans were removed from the site.
Quoting the minutes of a meeting attended by Foreign Secretary, Urban development Secretary and Delhi Chief Secretary, Mr Subramanium said it was decided not to remove the structures erected by the Tibetans.
In 1962, the Government had allotted plots to 200 families from Tibet at the site to settle down. Subsequently, the Tibetan Govrnment-in-exile, a monastery and other families were settled there occupying a huge stretch of land adjorning the Yamuna river near the Inter State Bus Terminus(ISBT).
The resettlement colonies were within 118 meters of the Yamuna bank which was contravened the direction of the court to remove any constructions within 300 meters from the edge of the river, submitted Mr S M Aggrwal, the Convenor of the Yamuna – Removal of Encroachments Monitoring Committee.
While adjourning the matter till February 21, the Court asked the Delhi Development Authority(DDA) to remove all the structures within 300 meters from the edge of Yamuna in the area between Jogbai Extension and Batla House Extension.
The DDA was directed to demarcate the structures which were to be removed before demolising them. The Delhi Police was asked to depute police force during the removal of the illegal structures.
