Bhubaneswar, Aug 6: The Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) on Thursday carried out a large-scale anti-encroachment drive in Shyampur Mouza under Bharatpur police limits, clearing illegal structures from around 3.5 acres of government land. Several excavators were deployed for the demolition, while a heavy police force remained on the spot to maintain law and order.

According to officials, the eviction operation began early in the morning under the supervision of the Central Enforcement Monitoring Committee. The exercise aimed to remove unauthorized constructions that had allegedly come up on government-owned land.

However, the eviction has once again raised serious questions over how basic civic amenities were provided to the encroached properties. Residents and observers questioned how electricity connections from Tata Power and deep borewells were approved without clearance from the concerned government authorities if the land was under illegal occupation.

The latest action comes just months after the BDA cleared 68 acres of encroached government land in the adjoining area. Despite that crackdown, allegations have resurfaced that land brokers continued to illegally sell government land to unsuspecting buyers, who later constructed houses on the plots.

The demolition has left several affected families stranded in the middle of the monsoon, with household belongings including televisions, refrigerators, air conditioners and other essentials lying in the open. Notably, many of the occupants have not disclosed from whom they purchased the land or how much they allegedly paid to middlemen.

The incident has once again highlighted the role of illegal land brokers and the need for stricter monitoring to prevent unauthorized sale and occupation of government land. Authorities are expected to continue the anti-encroachment drive in the area as part of ongoing efforts to reclaim public land and curb illegal settlements.