Building housing waterman Rajendra Singh's NGO demolished

Jaipur, Aug 3(UNI) Magsaysay awardee Rajendra Singh today criticised the Rajasthan government's move of demolishing the building that houses 'Jal Shishan Kendra' run by his NGO Tarun Bharat Sangh and said the administration's allegation of encroachment was illogical.

Addressing a press conference, Mr Singh said his organisation had been running a nursery and a training centre for the last 16 years at Maliyar Jatt village in Alwar district. He said the building was situated on 16 bigha of land given for the purpose by the villagers with the approval of the gram sabha.

He said the district administration on July 13 this year demolished the construction and in doing so has threatened the cause of water conservation. The administration has foisted case of encroachment on the leaders of the organisation.

He alleged that the district administraion had been acting at the behest of distillery owners planning to set up their units in the district. He said the Tarun Bharat Sangh had always been opposing the establishment of distilleries in the district as the state's two by third area falls in the dark zone with depleting ground water aquafiers.

Speaking on the occassion noted lawyer and social activist Girdhari Singh Bafna said the district administraion has not follwed the due process of law in the demolition of a settled ''peaceful possession'' under the Rajasthan Public premises Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants Act and would be challenged in the court.

UNI PJJ PR VA RS1534