Demolition drive continues at Odisha MLA’s encroached property

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Keonjhar, Apr 23:

Keonjhar district administration today continued the demolition drive on five acres of land encroached by Champua MLA Sanatan Mahakud at Unchabali mouza under Barbil Tehsil on the second consecutive day.

While 85 percent of the construction on the said property had been demolished yesterday, the administration completed the demolition of the remaining portion of the wall today.

The air conditioned cattle shade built there, however, stands.

The administration has given Mahakud five days time to shift the cattle to a different shade following which the cattle shade on the encroached property would be demolished.

Quite like yesterday, heavy security arrangements have been made to avoid any eventualities. Four platoons of forces have been deployed and section-144 has been imposed within a 500-metre radius of the site.

“The demolition drive, so far, has been peaceful. However, we have deployed four platoons of force to avoid any untoward incident. Besides, the magistrates are also present on the site to guide the police as and when required,” said Barbil Additional SP Dillip Kumar Sahani.

‘We will demolish the entire construction and barricade it. A signboard would be placed here informing people that this parcel of land is a government property and trespassers will be prosecuted. We would get a plantation drive initiated on the land by the Horticulture Department,” said Sub-collector of Champua Santosh Kumar Mishra.