Bhubaneswar: Odisha government is carrying out a major eviction drive in Salia Sahi, the largest slum in Bhubaneswar, to pave the way for the construction of a road to decongest traffic on the Jayadev Vihar-Nandankanan road, officials said Wednesday.
Amid protests by a section of slum-dwellers, local activists and political leaders, the joint enforcement team of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and other departments launched the eviction drive Tuesday in presence of police force, the officials said.
The authorities have identified over 550 unauthorised houses for demolition, and over 80 such houses were demolished using excavators on the first day, while the drive is underway for the second day Wednesday, they said.
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The eviction drive will help retrieve land for the construction of a nearly 700 metre stretch for the 13-km long left parallel road between Ekamra Kanan and Andharua, an officer said.
Several slum dwellers strongly opposed the eviction drive, alleging they were not given enough time to vacate the space and demanded a 600 sq ft area for the construction of their home. Later, the protestors were dispersed by police personnel.
Some of the evicted families were seen spending the cold night under a polyphone in the locality.
“We are not evicting anyone. We are relocating them to another place and they will be provided Rs 1.50 lakh,” said BMC deputy commissioner (enforcement), Ajay Mohanty.
ACP Biswaranjan Senapati said the eviction drive is going smoothly and will continue till the demolition of 556 unauthorised houses. All have been given homes, and their belongings are being transported to the place, he said.
Meanwhile, the opposition Congress and CPI (M) raised voices against the eviction drive and demanded proper rehabilitation of the slum dwellers.
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State Congress president Bhakta Charan Das said the government should not carry out a forceful eviction drive. Eviction can be done for developmental works with proper rehabilitation and in accordance with the provisions of the Land Acquisition Act-2013, Das said.
In the scorching daytime heat and the severe cold at night, the double-engine BJP government has rendered hundreds of Adivasi slum-dwellers homeless and helpless by using bulldozers, alleged Suresh Chandra Panigrahy, secretary, CPI (M), state committee.
The government has “violated” the Forest Rights Act, 2006, the Land Rights Act for slum-dwellers, 2018, and the constitutional rights to life and housing, he alleged.
The CPI (M) leader demanded that the government immediately identify all evicted slum-dwellers and rehabilitate them properly.
Commenting on the issue, Works minister Prithviraj Harichandan said, “We have given a special package to the slum dwellers to evict them. We are providing houses and also financial assistance to the evicted families. They have also given consent for the same. Some people are opposing to get political and personal benefit.”
PTI
