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Self-immolation threat over `anti-poor' policies

By Our Staff Correspondent

DEHRA DUN, DEC. 13. Leaders of the Bhumi Bachao Sangharsh Samiti comprising villagers and residents of the city have threatened self-immolation on December 20 "if the Government does not spell out the land-use of different areas and stop the Mussoorie Dehra Dun Development Authority (MDDA) from pursuing anti people policies by then".

The anti-MDDA crusade has found support from the Bharatiya Janata Party, Shiv Sena, several leaders of the ruling Congress, all major trade unions and technically trained unemployed youths' associations.

The villagers are upset as the MDDA was forcibly acquiring their lands at throwaway prices and also demolishing small shops or workshops erected by them. The people living in the city, mostly Government servants, are not able to buy land for their houses. The MDDA restrictions have however not discouraged colonisers and builders.

"We will no longer tolerate this State sponsored terrorism and if the Chief Minister, Narayan Dutt Tiwari, does not wake up to the needs of the poor we will have no choice but to immolate ourselves," said several technically trained youths.

Digamber Singh Negi, convenor of the Samiti wanted the Chief Minister to explain how the Government had allowed the top bureaucrats to acquire agricultural land for residential purposes while it was demolishing small business structures put up by several local people.

Certain Ministers are also accused of holding back the announcement of sale of plots by the MDDA as that would harm their vested interests. The MDDA has over the last few years acquired over a thousand acres of prime land for residential purpose. If these plots are not sold immediately, it is bound to land the MDDA into a major debt trap and the plots when sold along with the penalty will be out of the reach of commoners, thereby negating the very idea of having an authority to provide lands at reasonable rates, a senior official said.

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Self-immolation threat over `anti-poor' policies

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