It has been just 2 days since the anti-encroachment drive and squatters have already started to move back in to occupy the cleared places.
Officials of Ghaziabad Development Authority and Ghaziabad police, along with Brahm Deo Singh, the city magistrate of Ghaziabad, had spearheaded the drive in Indirapuram on Tuesday. The group had managed to remove squatters, temporary-vendor stalls and kiosks that had settled around the residential societies of the township.
Residents who were satisfied with the drive, were disappointed to find the encroachments return so soon.
Squatters have damaged the fence and the new saplings planted at the drive.
Speaking to City Spidey, Deepak Sethi, general secretary of Shipra Krishna Vista AOA, said, that the drive was an excellent initiative by the GDA, police and the City Magistrate, but as feared, things had gone back to square one.
After the drive, Mahagun Mansion Phase-1, with GDA's support, had fenced off the cleared area around the society and had planted saplings to develop a green belt.
Milind Manasvi, head of the external affairs committee of Mahagun Mansion, later informed that the encroachers had damaged the saplings upon their return. "It was disheartening to see all the efforts go in vain. The vendors and hawkers have returned and even started storing their commodities inside the fenced-off area," added Milind.
City Spidey took up the matter with YN Chaudhry, head of GDA cnforcement cell. He said that the authorities were aware of the problem. "We need to conduct such drives every ten-fifteen days," added Chaudhry.
