RAIPUR: A crisis resurfaced for the residents of the Nakati village, near the Mana area in Raipur, after the local administration issued fresh eviction notices to around 85 households late at night, triggering protests and widespread outrage.
Despite it being a public holiday for Muharram, a joint team of the revenue department, accompanied by a police force, arrived at Nakati village late on Friday night.
The officials immediately began pasting eviction orders on the walls of the houses, catching the residents completely off guard. The sudden action led to immediate demonstrations, with large groups of villagers gathering to resist the authorities.
The land on which several villagers have lived for decades, and houses built under the central government's Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), has been designated for a proposed "Vidhayak Colony" (MLAs' Colony).
According to local media reports, around 85 homes were built on the land over many decades. The land was originally intended for village community utilities (Nistari), but over time, villagers settled there, and it eventually became an integral part of the village.
The villagers say that they hold all the valid documents and have lived there for decades.
Meanwhile, the administration claimed the land is government property and described the residential structures as "illegal encroachments."
The development marks the second major attempt by the administration to displace the villagers within the past year.
Last year, the district administration undertook similar forceful measures to evict residents under the same pretext. However, following fierce resistance from the community and timely support from local public representatives, the authorities were compelled to back down.
The resurgence of the drive has sent shockwaves through the community, with a decisive meeting likely soon to determine the next course of action.