HC notice to govt over rehabilitation of slum dwellers on OSAP campus

CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has issued notices to the State government on a petition seeking judicial intervention against evacuation of employees of Odisha State Armed Police (OSAP) from 6th Battalion campus in Chauliaganj area to rehabilitate slum dwellers displaced due to the ongoing Taladanda canal road expansion project. Pratap Chandra Parida and four other OSAP personnel, who were allotted residential quarters on the campus, had filed the petition. The campus sprawls over an area of 23.66 acre.

After a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, the single judge bench of Justice Pramath Patnaik posted the matter to February 15 for hearing along with the response to the notice. As an interim measure, Justice Patnaik directed that status quo as on date in respect of notices for vacating the quarters dated January 15, 2021 issued by OSAP Commandant shall be maintained till the next date. The Cuttack Collector had issued a letter to the DGP for immediate handing over the vacant portion of the land and also to vacate the government quarters occupied by employees of the 6th Battalion.

On January 15, the OSAP Commandant had issued a notice directing the petitioners to vacate the quarters. According to the petition, OSAP 6th Battalion is in permissive possession of the said land and a case for alienation of the land in favour of Home department is pending before the Cuttack Sadar tehsildar since long.