Authorities in the violence-hit Khargone city of Madhya Pradesh have offered another house to an elderly woman whose home, built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, was demolished by the district administration during a drive against properties of the suspected riot accused, her son said on Monday.
However, the affected family has rejected the offer as of now citing security concern and the administration said no formal order has been issued with regards to their relocation.
The woman, Hasina Fakhroo (60), whose demolished home was constructed on a piece of government land in the Khaskhaswadi area, has been offered a house in a multi-storey building in Indira Nagar, which is also built under the Centre's housing scheme.
The woman's son, Amzad Khan, told PTI, “Officials from the municipal body visited us and offered a house in a multi-storey building in Indira Nagar.”
“However, at present because of concern over security, we have declined the offer,” Khan said.
Sub-divisional magistrate Milind Dhoke said as the woman was poor, they would act in the matter as per directives of the state government.
Chief municipal officer Priyanka Patel, however, said so far, no formal order has been issued in the matter.
The house was demolished by a bulldozer after communal riots broke out in the city on April 10 during Ram Navami celebrations.
The residential structure was demolished on Monday (April 11) by the authorities during a drive against "illegal" homes and shops of those who were allegedly involved in the riots, which had led to imposition of a curfew in Khargone.
Patel had then said, “The house under PMAY about which things are coming out repeatedly...(in media) the fact is, this house was sanctioned at some other place. It was meant for residential purpose but when our team went inside, it found that it was being used for some other purpose. Nobody was living there."
“They have constructed the house on government land while they got approval under PMAY at a different place. A case of encroachment on government land was going on in the tehsil court in the matter. The tehsildar had issued orders for its removal after which it was demolished," the chief municipal officer had said.
Hasina Fakhroo has admitted that a notice was given to her family by the tehsildar and the land in question does not belong to her though they were residing on it for years.
The notice for removal of the encroachment on the government land was served to the woman in March as well as on April 7 and it was executed on Monday (April 11), an official said.
