After 300 units of a slum cluster were razed to the ground amid anti-encroachment drivers on Sojitra Road in Borsad on Saturday, the police had to lathi-charge protesters for obstructing the work of the district administration, officials said.
Seven teams of the district administration reached the spot with hydraulic excavators on Saturday morning to demolish the encroachment. When the machine started demolishing the temple in the middle of the ruins, there was a clash between the officials and the residents of the settlement.
A general clash broke out when the police intervened after the protesting residents threw stones at the concerned officials. Following this, lathi-charge was launched to quell the agitation and around 15 people were arrested, officials added. Mayur Parmar, provincial officer of Borsad, said that action was taken after the notice period given to the residents to voluntarily remove the encroachments.
As part of the encroachment removal campaign, 350 settlements covering an area of 20,000 square meters of government land were notified to demolish and vacate their structures. Hundreds had started removing cribs and belongings since last night, while others had not. Those structures have been demolished today. We had formed seven teams including the City Survey Superintendent and Mamlatdar’s office.”
Although the locals claimed that the administration has not made arrangements for resettlement, Parmar said that a plot has been reserved in Bakrol to relocate the displaced families. “Each family has the right to get 25 square meters of land in the designated area in Bakrol. They have to fill the forms, complete the process and make the necessary payments… There was a protest at the venue today and we have asked for police protection to complete the work.”
Deputy Superintendent of Police JN Panchal, who was at the scene for security monitoring, said, ‘The administration is working to remove the encroachment. Around 1.30 pm when people started disrupting the work, we tried to explain to them but they did not accept the instructions. They also started pelting stones and we have arrested around 15-20 miscreants. Action has been taken against them.”
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