Bhadrak: Encroachments of almost two acre of forest land at Mousudha village under Chandbali Tehsil in the district were cleared off on Saturday following the telecast of a report by OTV recently.
According to sources, some influential people had encroached more than two acre of forest land by erecting barbed wire around the land.
After protest by the villagers, the local RI had conducted an enquiry ordered for eviction of the encroachments but the encroachers didn't pay heed to the order. Later, the villagers approached the Orissa High Court and the local district administration.
After the incident was reported in OTV, the district Collector ordered for the eviction of the encroached land.
The eviction process was undertaken on Saturday under the Additional Tehsildar of Chandbali with the help of police.
“In presence of the Additional Tehsildar and the RI, eviction drive on the encroached land was conducted. One platoon of police force was deployed to maintain law and order situation during the process,” said Inspector-In charge (IIC) of Bansagada police station, Ramesh Singh.
On the other hand, the villagers expressed their happiness after the eviction drive made the forest land free from encroachment.
Though there were directions for eviction of the land, no step was taken for the same in the last one year. "We have got justice today after repeated pleas," said a villager, Nityananda.