Traders in Bhadrak protest eviction

Bhadrak: Opposing the eviction drive carried out by the Bhadrak administration at different places of the town, local traders today staged protest in front of the district Collectorate.

They alleged that without rehabilitating the affected traders, the administration has been bulldozing their shops over the past one week. Questioning the motive behind the eviction drive, the traders said as they were paying monthly rent to the Bhadrak Municipality regularly, their shops cannot be termed ‘illegal.’

The traders have threatened to intensify their stir and sit on dharna along with their families if the administration does not stop the eviction drive in coming days.

“For the past many years, we have set up businesses here and sustaining our families. If the administration pulls down the shops, where will we move and find livelihood. When the municipality is collecting monthly rent, how can the administration question our establishment,” questioned Satyanarayan Khuntia, a trader.

“We demand that the administration should first rehabilitate us and then demolish the market,” added Khuntia.

Meanwhile, the administration emphatically said that demolition of illegal construction on government land will not be stopped.

“The Bhadrak Municipality had constructed the market complex on government land without authorisation. Moreover, the shops have been constructed encroaching upon roads and drains,” said Gyana Das, Bhadrak Collector.