A Village Without Light: Pankaj’s Plea from Khirbi

“We’re not asking for luxuries—just light, water, and a right to live.” — Pankaj, resident of Khirbi

A Forgotten Corner in the Heart of Delhi

While Delhi’s skyline grows higher and brighter, there exists a neglected locality within its heart—Khirbi, a village under the Delhi Cantonment Board. This community has been denied basic human needs for over 30 to 40 years.

• No electricity.
• No clean water.
• No civic development.
• Just human survival—without dignity, without attention.

The Voice of Khirbi — A Story from Pankaj

When our team from Nyaypurti visited Khirbi, we met Pankaj, a young resident, educated and aware, yet helpless in the face of systemic silence.

“Every election season, ministers come with promises—light, water, houses. We vote for them. Then they disappear. We’ve been living in darkness for decades.”

In the peak of Delhi’s unbearable heat, Khirbi’s people have no fans, no drinking water, and no pipeline. Children are forced to study under candlelight. The elderly suffer from heat strokes. And diseases spread unchecked.

Now, there are even threats of demolition—with no plan for relocation, despite some residents having DDA flat tokens or documents.

What Happened to Article 21?

Article 21 of the Constitution of India guarantees the Right to Life with dignity.

Is a life without electricity, without water, and without hope… still life?

• Khirbi raises urgent questions:
  • Why have these people been denied basic civic infrastructure?
  • Why are resettlement plans missing despite DDA involvement?
  • Why demolish before offering alternative shelter?

If three generations have lived here, how can they still be considered illegal?

Nyaypurti’s Stand

We at Nyaypurti did not go there with political motives. We went there with legal awareness, with resolve. “We are not here to promise hope. We are here to show the path. The law is yours. Use it. Assert it.”

• Our goal is to:
  • Empower residents with legal tools
  • File RTIs and complaints
  • Conduct awareness camps
  • Explore public interest litigation
  • Demand enforcement of their fundamental rights

Our Appeal to the Authorities

• We appeal to:
  • Delhi Cantonment Board
  • Delhi Development Authority (DDA)
  • Government of NCT of Delhi
  • Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs

If Khirbi has existed for 40 years, then its people exist as citizens—not as encroachers. You cannot erase decades of life overnight. You cannot talk about Smart Cities while parts of Delhi have no lights.

This Is Not Just About Khirbi

This is not just Pankaj’s story. This is the story of hundreds of invisible communities—neglected by policy, ignored by the system.

• Let us remember:
  • Shelter is not a privilege. It is a necessity.
  • Electricity is not a favour. It is a basic need.
  • Water is not a demand. It is a human right.