CUTTACK: Tension ran high at Krushak Bazaar area of CDA here after slum dwellers opposed eviction drive by the district administration and Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) on Saturday. The district administration had initiated steps for eviction of encroachments to facilitate construction of a 60-ft road in the locality which was not possible as illegal squatters had encroached upon government land by constructing permanent houses. The government land was allegedly sold by some local influential persons and land mafia for housing purpose.
Considering the necessity to clear the area, Cuttack Collector Bhabani Shankar Chayani had directed officials to carry out eviction drive immediately after mike announcement. When the authorities started pulling down houses with bulldozers, slum dwellers staged demonstration opposing the drive alleging that the administration carried out an eviction without rehabilitation.
“The inhumane way in which the administration forcefully carried out the eviction drive without prior notice is illegal. It has rendered women and children homeless and they are now living under the open sky,” said former CMC Corporator, Giribala Behera.
Convener of Basti Basinda Mahasanha, Brundaban Azad also condemned administration’s eviction drive. “Dobandha Nagar slum is a registered slum. The administration carried out eviction drive without proper prior notice or rehabilitation even though the matter is sub judice and a stay order on eviction was issued by the Supreme Court. We will move court against such arbitrary move of the administration,” said Azad adding that over 20 to 25 houses were razed.
Chayani, on the other hand, said the question of rehabilitation does not arise as not a single slum dweller has been evicted. “The encroachments on government land were cleared to facilitate road construction. It was only a handful of the land mafia who instigated people and created a ruckus,” he added.