AAP MLA from Burari, Sanjeev Jha.
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday (June 15, 2026) continued to hit out at the Delhi government over alleged demolitions in the protected O-zone, which houses an estimated 15 lakh people across 91 unauthorised colonies and nearly a dozen villages, despite assurances from Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs from Delhi.
On June 9, the CM had announced that no existing structure would be demolished in the eco-sensitive zone along the 22-km Yamuna floodplains from Wazirabad to Okhla, allaying apprehension among residents of an anti-encroachment drive following the installation, earlier this month, of signboards warning against unauthorised construction.
The Opposition party has claimed that since Ms. Gupta’s assurance, bulldozers have razed several residential structures in the O-zone.
The party has dared the BJP government to promulgate an ordinance to provide legal protection from demolition to residents in the protected zone.
Addressing a press conference at the AAP headquarters, party’s Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha said people living in O-zone colonies have been living under constant fear as demolitions continue despite repeated assurances from BJP leaders.
“Residents of 91 colonies and several villages have lost their peace of mind because of continuous demolitions. MPs, Ministers, MLAs and the Chief Minister have been giving assurances, yet demolitions have not stopped. If houses continue to be demolished despite these assurances, it clearly means something else is deliberately going on,” he said.
Published – June 16, 2026 02:27 am IST
