Haridwar administration to demolish encroachments ahead of Maha Kumbh

Ahead of the 2010 Maha Kumbh Mela, the biggest bathing festival of Hindus, the officials of Haridwar administration have opted to go all out against the encroachments near the main venue of the forthcoming event.

By Ashish Goel

Haridwar, Jan.6 : Ahead of the 2010 Maha Kumbh Mela, the biggest bathing festival of Hindus, the officials of Haridwar administration have opted to go all out against the encroachments near the main venue of the forthcoming event.

Officials recently took the decision that the Haridwar administration will undertake demolition of numerous illegal structures and other encroachments on the land earmarked for the Maha Kumbh.

A large number of illegal structures have come up in areas such as Bairagi Camp, Pantkop and Chandighat, which are the main spots for the Kumbh Mela.

According to the authorities, encroachers have usurped over 2000 Bhigas of land here.

"The land allotted for the Kumbh in 1986 has shrunk to one-third of its original place while two-third of its region is gone. For the development of Kumbh, first of all the main roads of Haridwar should be widened, which includes Rudi Berwala, Rishikesh, Rurki Marg," said Ram Kumar Mishra, President, Ganga Sabha.

"Even when a small-time fair like Kartik Purnima or Baisakhi are held in this area, the roads witness traffic jam. It takes hours to clear it off," Mishra added.

Hermits and devotees view it as responsibility of the administration to check such large-scale encroachment.

"It doesn't really look if the Maha Kumbh is going to be held. The scheduled festival is a highly revered fair of Haridwar. But today it appears no care is being given to this fact. The new State government is expected to pay attention in this matter," said Swami Visaswaranand, a hermit.

The land allotted for conducting the Kumbh fair belongs to State's irrigation department. But much has been lost due to red-tapism and lack of coordination amongst various departments.

The administration, however, has assured that before the Maha Kumbh, all illegal structures over the prescribed land would be razed.

"This matter crops up for every Kumbh Mela. Encroachment is on an all-time high. We have been demolishing these structures on a regular basis. Three years are still left (to the Mahakumbh) and we will continue to identify the faulty areas where the encroachment is on a rise. We will take steps to wipe them out from the area," said Subhash Kumar, Divisional Commissioner for Haridwar.

Meanwhile, officials have submitted a report on these illegal structures which would be cleared from the region.

ANI