Eviction Drive Sparks Tension in Cuttack

Cuttack: Tension prevailed at CDA Krushak Bazar area here after the slum dwellers opposed an eviction drive launched by the district administration and Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) on Saturday.

As per official sources, the eviction was carried out to facilitate construction of a 60-ft road in the area. As a lot of illegal squatters had encroached upon government land, over 20 to 25 unauthorised structures were razed down today, sources said.

Alleging that the administration carried out the eviction without rehabilitation, the slum dwellers staged demonstration opposing the drive.

“The matter is sub-judice and a stay order on eviction was issued by the Supreme Court. Without prior notice, the administration carried out the eviction drive today which is illegal,” said former councillor, Giribala Behera.

Convener of Basti Basinda Mahasanha, Brundaban Azad said, “It is a registered slum and without notice or rehabilitation, the eviction drive was carried out. We will move court against such arbitrary move of the administration.”

Cuttack Collector, Bhabani Shankar Chayani, on the other hand, claimed there is no question of rehabilitation informing that not a single slum dweller has been evicted. “The encroachments on government land were cleared to facilitate road construction. It were only a handful of land mafia who instigated people and created ruckus,” stated Chayani.