New Delhi: The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) on Thursday carried out the demolition of an illegal settlement at Yamuna Bazar – a floodplain and protected area – amid heavy security, with several residents seen unscrewing their doors and windows to prevent them from being destroyed.Residents said the eviction has left many of them effectively homeless, as affordable housing is difficult to find and temporary shelters are “unsafe” to live in. (Vipin Kumar/HT)Residents said the eviction has left many of them effectively homeless, as affordable housing is difficult to find and temporary shelters are “unsafe” to live in.On May 7, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) issued eviction notices to 310 families in the area, giving them 15 days to vacate. The notice described the settlement as an “illegal encroachment” on the Yamuna floodplains in the O-zone, citing recurring flood risk as grounds for eviction. O-zone is an environmentally sensitive area where construction is strictly regulated.Last week, residents said DDMA officials visited the area and made announcements through microphones, asking them to vacate the area ahead of the demolition.At Nigambodh Ghat, while bulldozers razed structures from one end, residents at the other were seen removing fixtures such as doors and windows to sell them.Seven-year-old Ayush Kumar sat a few steps away from the Yamuna River near a stationary boat as his parents shifted their belongings out of their home. “I study in a government school near the Red Fort, and my father works in a shop in Chandni Chowk. My elder sister got married a few weeks ago. My father told us that we may shift to Loni as the rent near the Yamuna area is high,” said Kumar, a Class 1 student.Residents said the water supply in the area was cut off on Wednesday evening, followed by the electricity being cut off early on Thursday morning, with security personnel arriving at 6 am and demolition starting around 8 am.Baijnath Bhagat, 49, a contractual labourer at Delhi University, alleged that the settlement was singled out.“Last Friday, they told us the demolition would take place on Saturday, but nothing happened. Since then, we have been living under constant stress, and this morning we woke up to the area being completely sealed with police deployed all around,” said Bhagat. “There are many other areas in O-Zone, but no demolition is happening there. We are forced to live on the streets,” he alleged.Anju Kashyap, 32, said that staying in shelter homes is not an option as they are “unsafe”. “The government has shared a list of four shelter homes where we can stay temporarily, but drug addicts live there, so how can we stay there? It is unsafe for women and children,” he alleged.