Bhubaneswar, July 17: Usually small thatched houses of poor people are targeted but several influential people have illegally constructed large buildings on government lands. Action will be taken against all the wrongdoers and no one will be spared now, said Odisha Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Kumar Pujari today.
During his visit to Sambalpur for a BJP program titled 'Maa Paen Gachha Tie', Pujari addressed the media, highlighting the issue of land encroachments and the state's plans to tackle them.
Pujari remarked, "What I have seen in the past 75 years is that bulldozers usually target the small thatched houses of poor people living in slums and other areas. These individuals, who build on small patches of two to four decimals of land, are not true encroachers. In contrast, there are several influential people who have illegally constructed large buildings on government lands."
The minister criticized the previous leniency towards influential people and industrial houses, stating that the law had failed to reach them.
"They were previously thinking that Independence in the country was achieved to safeguard their interests. Now, they will feel that Independence was achieved for poor people. However, the countdown has already begun and no one will be spared. Actions will be initiated against one and all," Pujari asserted.
This announcement follows a high-level meeting held on July 6 by the Revenue & Disaster Management department, which emphasized optimal management of land resources and expressed concerns over large-scale encroachments.
It is worth mentioning that, earlier last week, the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department Satyabrata Sahu had directed all district collectors to conduct a realistic survey of rural and urban encroachments and clear them in accordance with regulations.
The collectors have also been instructed to protect government land by installing suitable fencing and conspicuous display boards, using the funds allocated for this purpose.
