COVID-19: BJP questions C'garh govt's anti-encroachment drive

In a pre-dawn swoop on June 8, revenue and police officials descended on Tilkanagar locality along Arpa river of Bilaspur town and demolished around 160 'pucca' and 'kuccha' houses to take up the construction work for beautification of the riverfront, locals said.Before this action, the administration evicted several families, mostly daily wage workers, from their homes built under IHSDP (Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme) scheme in Imlibhata and Bahtarai areas of the town, citing they had "illegally" occupied tenements meant for the slum dwellers, including in Tilaknagar.

Opposition BJP has slammed the Congress government in Chhattisgarh for carrying out an anti- encroachment drive in Bilaspur district of the state as a part of a river beautification project amid the coronavirus outbreak, and termed the move as "inhuman and unjustified". In a pre-dawn swoop on June 8, revenue and police officials descended on Tilkanagar locality along Arpa river of Bilaspur town and demolished around 160 'pucca' and 'kuccha' houses to take up the construction work for beautification of the riverfront, locals said.

Before this action, the administration evicted several families, mostly daily wage workers, from their homes built under IHSDP (Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme) scheme in Imlibhata and Bahtarai areas of the town, citing they had "illegally" occupied tenements meant for the slum dwellers, including in Tilaknagar. "Why was there so much of hurry to demolish the houses during the ongoing coronavirus crisis and just before the onset of monsoon," said Rajesh Singh Thakur, a BJP corporator from Tilak Nagar ward.

"Notices to people to leave their houses were served from June 5 to 7 and the demolition drive was carried out on June 8. In such a short span of time people were not prepared for it. Even when people tried to resist the demolition drive, the administration and police used force against them," he said. Although the families, over 150 in number, were shifted to Imlibhata and Bahtarai localities in the houses built under a government scheme, there is neither water and power supply nor bathrooms have doors, Thakur claimed.

Even, the administration had earlier evicted several poor families who were living in those houses in Bahtarai and Imlibhata and they are now homeless, he said. Seeking "justice" from the state government, residents of Bahtarari and Imlibhata, who were left without a roof over their heads, alleged they were not given any notice.

"We have been living in the houses (built under IHSDP scheme) since the last three years. We had also filed applications to allot us a house, but the administration did not pay heed to our demand and now without any notice we were evicted," said Munni Gandharva, wife of an autorickshaw driver. "Now we are sleeping in our autorickshaw. The authorities could have waited and given us time to find a new place to shift," she added.

Senior BJP MLA and Leader of Opposition Dharamlal Kaushik said that in view of the current situation, the anti- encroachment drive should not have been carried out. "When people are being advised to stay indoors to prevent the spread of COVID-19, the state government carried anti-encroachment drive in Bilasupr that left several people homeless. It is completely unjustified and inhuman.

"Poor people are already bearing the brunt of pandemic and state government should take care of them instead of adding worries to their woes," he added. Meanwhile, around 54 people of Tilkanagar have approached the Chhattisgarh High Court in Bilaspur and filed petitions seeking action against the officials for demolishing their houses and demanded that they be resettled them in the same area, said Amarnath Pandey, one of the lawyers of the petitioners.

During the hearing on the petitions on Tuesday, the HC had reserved its order, which is yet to be delivered, he added. According to the district officials, demolition, eviction and rehabilitation drive were carried out after notices were served to people concerned.

"Two barrages will be constructed on the Arpa river in the city to conserve the water. Besides, under the Smart City project, a 1.8-km-long road is proposed to be constructed along the river," Biaspur Municipal Corporation Commissioner Prabhakar Pandey said. "Tilaknagar falls in the submergence area of the river and in view of upcoming monsoon, it was necessary to vacate the area and take up the construction work. Tendering process of the project has been completed," he said.

Residents of Tilaknagar slum have been rehabilitated in Bahtarai and Imlibhata areas, he added. Another official said, people were evicted from around 400 houses built under the IHSDP scheme as they had illegally occupied it and were not vacating despite notices being served to them.