Surat resident moves HC against civic body’s demolition drive in Nasirnagar

Ahmedabad: A resident of Nasirnagar locality in Surat has filed a petition in the Gujarat high court against the demolition drive being undertaken by the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC).Petitioner’s advocate Zamir Shaikh informed the court that nearly 150 houses in the Nasirnagar area were demolished on May 29 by the officials without issuing any prior notice to the residents. The demolition was carried out without following due procedure of law, he alleged.The petitioner, Husain Shaikh, also told the court that he feared that his house, along with other structures, would also be demolished in the near future, and sought a stay on the demolition drive.The petitioner urged the HC to direct the civic authorities to follow the rules regarding demolition, which stipulate that before eviction, the authorities are required to provide the affected people with alternative residential arrangements.To prove their existence in the place for decades, the petitioner has claimed that he has tax payment receipts since 1996, and many households have bills issued by the power company. The petition is likely to be heard in the near future.