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Protest against demolition drive

UP IN ARMS:Policemen trying to persuade the residents of Dhobabandha area who were blocking the NH-217 demanding shelter from the incessant rains since Thursday night.

BERHAMPUR: The National Highway no.217 was blocked by families who lost their houses during eviction recent anti-encroachment drive near Dhoba Bandha tank on Friday morning.

Around hundred poor families had their houses bull dozed from the sides of the NH-217 between Gate Bazar and First Gate squares earlier this week.

The recent cyclonic rains had made the life of these families pathetic as the administration had not made any effort for their rehabilitation.

These families were also supported by the traders of the area who had faced the eviction drive and the corporator of ward no. 3, Ashok Shukla. They blocked the highway from 9.30 a.m. This busy road remained blocked by the agitators for over two hours till the Berhampur MLA, R.C. Chyau Patnaik, sub-collector Ajit Mishra, Sub-divisional Police Officer Sarat Mishra and city tehsildar Satrughna Kar reached the spot to hold discussions with the agitators. The agitators cleared up the road at around noon.

The agitators demanded that as they were living at the spot since past four decades the administration should have made some efforts for their rehabilitation before eviction.

They wanted some immediate measures so that they could save their families from the recent rains.

As immediate measure the administration and the MLA used the Binayak Acharya memorial High School in the area to provide shelter to the families from the rain. Mr. Shukla said around 300 persons of the affected families were sheltered in the school which is now closed for summer vacation. The administrative officials promised to provide them relief provisions from Saturday. Mr. Shukla said the ration for these families packed up in the school was also arranged for Friday.

Mr. Shukla said the local MLA and the administrative authorities have promised to make arrangements regarding rehabilitation of these families next month.

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