Sambalpur: Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari declared on Wednesday that buildings erected on encroached government land will be demolished, marking a significant shift in the state’s approach to land encroachments.
Speaking to reporters in Sambalpur, Pujari emphasized that the government would no longer target only the poor for land encroachments. “Poor people building huts on 4 decimal land and staying in them are not encroachers. Earlier, only the houses of poor people were being demolished. Now, high-rise buildings of influential people built on encroached government land will be demolished. This will unmask the influential and powerful people. Buildings of the rich and influential built on encroached government land will be bulldozed,” Pujari stated.
This announcement follows directives issued last week by Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of the Revenue and Disaster Management Department, Satyabrata Sahu. In a letter to all district collectors, Sahu instructed them to conduct a thorough survey of rural and urban encroachments and to remove them in accordance with the rules.
Furthermore, district collectors have been directed to protect government land by installing suitable fencing and conspicuous display boards, utilizing allocated funds for this purpose.
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