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Bhubaneswar, Feb 25: A violent protest by eunuchs and locals forced the BDA enforcement team to defer demolition of Nayapalli Durga Mandap here, Wednesday.
Under orders from the Orissa High Court, a joint team of Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and general administration department (GAD) reached the spot at 11.45am to raze Durga temple, built illegally. As soon as the team pulled down three shops in the area, hundreds of eunuchs and locals offered resistance to the demolition efforts.
The enforcement squad, senior police, BMC officials and Puja Committee members sat for a discussion on the issue. The Puja panel insisted on demolition of illegal shops but sought to spare the temple.
The team razed a juice kiosk which was closed when some shop owners burnt tyres in protest forcing the police to resort to cane-charge the agitators.
The enforcement squad deferred the temple demolition plan but razed five shops in the area.
Notably, the GA department had provided 0.841 decimal land to Nabard for construction of a parking place and a garden in 1993. However, illegal constructions have hindered execution of the plan. The HC October 17 last year had directed the GA department to demolish the structures following which BDA was asked to undertake the task November 18 last.
BDA enforcement official Debaprasad Das said, “We had to defer the demolition drive because of protests by the locals. The police force was inadequate to tackle the situation.”
However, the drive would be completed as per the HC order, he added.
