BHUBANESWAR: Public resentment over the “arbitrary” early morning eviction at Ganesh Bazaar haat in Jharpada on Friday continues to simmer even as affected traders and vendors on Sunday filed a complaint at Laxmisagar police station seeking action against authorities of Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and General Administration (GA) department.
Around 64 shopkeepers went to the police station and lodged their grievances seeking measures for their rehabilitation and adequate compensation from the BDA, BMC and GA authorities for their losses in the eviction drive. Alleging loot of their shops in the name of eviction, some shopkeepers also sought probe and appropriate action in this matter.
The shopkeepers alleged that the eviction drive was carried out at the behest of BMC Commissioner and secretaries of BDA and GA department.
Corporator of Ward no 33 Dharitri Jena and BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan along with party workers accompanied the shopkeepers and vendors to the police station with them.
Gangadhar Barik, a differently-abled person, who had a grocery shop in the haat, claimed that the eviction inflicted a loss of around `9 lakh on him as he didn’t get sufficient time to vacate the place. He stated the BMC had issued vendor card to him for running his businees in the haat and had also provided compensation during cyclone Fani and Covid-19 pandemic. But, his shop was demolished without any notice or sufficient time. Satyabrat Kuanr, another affected small businessman, also claimed that he suffered a loss of `3.5 lakh due to eviction.
Meanwhile, based on the complaint, a station diary entry has been made by the police. However, there has been no FIR in this matter so far, cops confirmed. BDA sources, meanwhile, said meetings will be held with BMC and vendors’ association to discuss compensation and rehabilitation issues.