Encroachments, evictions and subsequent demands of rehabilitation
seem to have become the order of the day in the congested Rourkela city.
Given
the undue political interference involved in the issue, even Sundargarh
administration prefers to shy away from any harsh measures. As a
result, there is not enough space left to take up new road works or even
finish the old ones.
Sources said for major road expansions and a
bridge construction work, hundreds of roadside vendors were evicted.
Local leaders of ruling BJD and Congress lost no time to hit the streets
for the ‘cause of these vendors’. They sought their immediate
rehabilitation.
Rourkela Municipality constructed vending zones at
Koelnagar, Uditnagar and Chhend Colony, while the Rourkela Development
Authority (RDA) constructed one at Basanti Colony. Slowly but steadily,
encroachments are again cropping up. Civil Township is a pointer to
this. A road expansion project was delayed for eight months by 25
encroachers with support of two powerful BJD leaders. Under pressure
from the ruling party, the Municipality settled them in an adjacent
patch of land meant for green belt in the master plan of the road
expansion project.
Admitting the situation, Municipality
Vice-Chairman R N Mishra attributed it to weakness of the Municipality
and political pressure during eviction drives. He said around 30 ‘land
guards’ are not well-equipped to protect government land from
encroachment.
Rourkela unit BJD president AC Mohanty said neglect
by the administration allows illegal occupations to grow into bigger
problems as competitive politics compel parties to support them.
Last
year, more than 400 encroachers along the approach road to NIT-R on
Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) land with political support ultimately forced
the premier institute to abandon the road and go for an alternative.
Rourkela
ADM and RDA Secretary RN Mishra said as per the action plan, eviction
drive would be launched from April 15 and sought cooperation from police
and political parties.
