CM Kejriwal: Halt demolishing jhuggis till February

New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday asked all landowning agencies in the city not to demolish ‘jhuggis’ until the end of the winter season.

The chief minister has asked the agencies to halt the demolition works till February next year.

The move comes after Mr Kejriwal held a meeting with senior officials from the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), the Delhi Development Authority and the three Municipal Corporations of Delhi over the Slum Policy.

According to a government statement, the chief minister has asked the agencies not to demolish any ‘jhuggi’ till February 28 on humanitarian grounds.

“Please do not demolish jhuggis until the winter season is over. It is cold now and putting the poor people to difficulties during this period is not humane,” Mr Kejriwal was quoted as saying in the statement.

The chief minister also asked the agencies to follow the protocol set for demolition of ‘jhuggis’ “in letter and spirit”. Mr Kejriwal said none of them should be razed down immediately without following the framework of the demolition policy.

“No demolition should be carried out in future without proper rehabilitation or relocation of the slum dwellers.

The agency will lay down the guidelines for demolition, according the notified Slum Policy and the same will be applicable for all of the agencies,” the chief minister said.

The Slum Policy that was notified recently lays down clear guidelines for demolition and has made the agency as the nodal body for relocation or rehabilitation of ‘jhuggi bastis’.