BALASORE: Unease prevailed at Udaipur beach in Bhograi block after the West Bengal government resumed activities to construct an unauthorised structure in the disputed area on Tuesday by defying prohibitory orders clamped by the Balasore administration.
Locals first spotted some workers resuming construction work of a watch tower which was earlier stopped by Balasore administration on September 10. On being informed, Bhograi tehsildar Kamalakanta Panda and Udaipur-Talasari Marine IIC Sujata Mallick rushed to the spot and stopped construction work.
The tehsildar said he stopped the unauthorised work and asked the construction agency to call the officers of the department concerned of West Bengal government. Subsequently, the West Bengal authorities assured that they will reach the site soon.
However, they did not turn up and the tehsildar and IIC Mallick returned after waiting there for more than three hours. "It is true that West Bengal is occupying Odisha land. The officers of our neighbouring State should physically meet us for discussions over demarcation of the disputed land," Panda added.
On September 7, the Public Works department of West Bengal started construction of a boundary wall of the watch tower, which collapsed after being hit by cyclone 'Yaas'. West Bengal officials carried out the work without intimating the Balasore administration by intruding almost 50 feet into Odisha territory.
After coming to know about the intrusion, Balasore officials rushed to the spot and stopped construction of the unauthorised structure. On September 14, the administration clamped section 144 of CrPC in the disputed area.