Green belt, red flag: Baghmughalia residents protest resettlement move

Bhopal: Residents in a section of Baghmugalia Extension area are up in arms against the local administration over the resettlement of slum dwellers from Deepak Nagar on a green belt within the colony.

Officials say the relocation is a temporary arrangement and that the families will eventually be provided housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) before being shifted elsewhere. However, residents are questioning the move, arguing that if the plan was temporary, there was no need to first evict them from Deepak Nagar, reportedly to clear land belonging to a private party.

Leading the protest, resident Umashankar Tiwari told TOI that the Capital Project Administration (CPA) had developed the area as a green belt in 2009 by planting trees. He said allowing settlements in the green zone is leading to environmental damage and raising safety concerns due to a high-tension electricity line passing through the site. “Not only is the green belt being destroyed, but the lives of slum dwellers are also at risk,” he said, adding that the relocation appears aimed at clearing Deepak Nagar land.

Residents said around 30 families were initially shifted in May, but the number has now increased to over 60. They also alleged damage to trees in the green belt, claiming that vegetation is being intentionally dried, though no official confirmation has been provided.

Several residents said they had repeatedly requested authorities to ensure that no trees are cut or harmed during the process, but their concerns remain unaddressed. Kolar SDM Prakash Chandra Pandey maintained that the arrangement is strictly temporary. He said the residents will be allotted houses under PMAY and relocated once the process is completed.

On concerns regarding the high-tension line, the SDM said such lines are not a major risk for single-storey structures in slum settlements, though caution is required for taller constructions.

However, assistant engineer Anil Agarwal of the power distribution company disagreed, stating that any settlement beneath a high-tension line is potentially dangerous regardless of structure height. He added that the matter has come to the department’s notice and will be examined before further action is taken.