JAJPUR: The district administration on Tuesday carried out an eviction drive at a farmhouse linked to former Dharmasala MLA and BJD leader Pranab Kumar Balbantray in Panturi village over alleged encroachment of government land.
A team of Dharmasala tehsil administration led by additional tehsildar Gagan Behari Das deployed a bulldozer to demolish a portion of the boundary wall reportedly constructed on government land.
Official sources said the boundary wall was constructed over a total area measuring 12 acre and 88 decimal. Of this, around 1 acre and 10 decimal were reportedly identified as government land.
Tehsil officials said the eviction was carried out after proper verification of land records. “The encroached land will be brought back into government possession. The eviction drive is underway and will be completed in a day or two,” said Das.
Adequate police personnel were deployed to maintain law and order during the eviction process.
Earlier, the Dharmasala tehsil administration had issued a notice to Balbantray asking him to present documents regarding the alleged illegal occupation of government land.