Thread by @_aynakus_

⚠️NEW STORY for @project_polis, on #KhoriGaon, an informal working-class settlement at the border of Delhi and Haryana, demolished multiple times since June 2021 by @MCF_Faridabad, on orders of Supreme Court. A 🧵on this crisis, pls read:
thepolisproject.com/read/our-world…

Since June '21 at least 1 lakh ppl in Khori Gaon were displaced in the 2nd and 3rd waves of Covid-19, their homes torn down with no ground survey done prior to demolition. "@PMOIndia said "Stay safe, stay home" but we had no home or safety"- said a resident. Pic @Graphienandcol1

Justice Khanwilkar observed: "Environment is more important than your civil rights. Your civil rights are subordinate to the environment.” SC ordered @MCF_Faridabad to not use the pandemic as an "excuse" to delay demolitions. What was the reason for demolitions in first place?

Khori Gaon stands on PLPA land, which the SC has interpreted to be forest land in earlier judgements. Post-demolition, this interpretation is being questioned in Court. The catch: Khori is 1 of 129 structures to stand on PLPA land. Only 8 other structures were torn down by MCF.

These structures include farmhouses, hotels, high-rises, Radha Soami Satsang, Surajkund tourist complex. These were not demolished despite standing on PLPA land. "If you want to save forest land, break down every building. Do we have no rights because we’re poor?” — a resident.

"Forest conservation" excuse used fr demolitions doesn't seem evident frm other actions of @MCF_Faridabad — repeatedly pushing to use PLPA land for mining and commercial purposes. Parking space for Surajkund Mela was created after demolishing #Khorigaon & clearing out rubble.

Rehabilitation has been promised to merely 1009 families. "Why should we pay for these flats, after our homes were town down", a resident wondered. Others have been disqualified on acc. of not having Haryana state ID proof. Bec residents were told that New Khori Gaon is in Delhi.

Electricity was supplied informally by Delhi Govt, roads were built by same, and Delhi Voter cards were made by @SahiramPahalwan. Residents wr told Khori is in Delhi. Land mafia & Forest Department & MCF took money frm locals who built their houses in Khori in return fr security.

None of them have been held legally accountable for actions, says @Vimalbhai11 who has been working tirelessly for Khori evictees' welfare. A primarily-working class population cannot be expected to know which is "forest land" or not, there was no clear boundary, he said.

Some human faces and human stories of the so-called "forest encroachers" of Khori Gaon:
1. Akash* (10) doing household chores after school. Only he pulled out things from the rubble of his demolished home, his mother was arrested. Stayed in the open w/o single parent for 4 days

2. A group of women residents, young and old, band together and live amidst the rubble. Some lost husbands and sons during the demolitions, who died of panic and stress. "Beti bachao, beti padhao - are our daughters not worth saving?" asked one of them.

3. Payal Yadav, a transwoman identifying as Kinnar, found her home demolished and livelihood options stubbed. She faced discrimination frm landlords while flat-hunting, and now collects bricks from her demolished home site in the hope of building a house again, in time.

4. Md. Hadees Ansari's home, and three shanties he had built frm rubble were torn down by multiple demolitions. His vegetable cart broken, & no money to rent even the cheapest flat nearby. He sells bricks from his broken plot to feed himself, and his pet goat Munni.

5. Reena Devi & Ajeet Bhaitha face an absurdity - paying off informal loans for a house which doesn't exist. They could afford to rent a room, but their determination is broken - don't have a house to call their own, building which exhausted their life savings.

Urban poor who settled in Khori Gaon are subject to multiple marginalities of class and caste. Myopic arguments to conserve environment ignore rights of people pushed to fringes of booming cities due to failure of Delhi and Haryana govts to provide them with affordable housing.

Please read, share and engage with the story. The hearings are still going on in SC as are the demolitions. SC has sanctioned heavy & continuous police presence in Khori Gaon again, to help @MCF_Faridabad with "security reasons".

Many thanks to @Vimalbhai11 & @Ish_Chatterjee for all their inputs and patience. End.