BHUBANESWAR: A total of 498 acres of government land in the capital city has been encroached, with Jaydev Vihar alone accounting for 148 acres, as revealed in Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s written response in the assembly on Monday.
According to the reply, “A Central Enforcement Monitoring Committee (CEMC) has been established to tackle encroachment issues.” This information came in response to Jatni MLA Bibhuti Bhusan Balabantaray’s query regarding land encroachment in Bhubaneswar and the measures being taken for their removal. “The government is filing cases under the Odisha Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act to address encroachments,” the reply stated.
Government data indicates that 11,006 encroachment cases have been logged, with illegal occupations recorded at 57 locations. Areas like Chandrasekharpur, Jagamara, Dumduma, Gadakana, BJB Nagar, Kapila Prasad, Bhimpur, Baramunda, Nilakantha Nagar, and Bhoi Nagar in Nayapalli, in addition to Jaydev Vihar, have seen significant encroachments. Meanwhile, Vani Vihar, Bharatpur, Jokalandi, Haridaspur, Pahal, Sundarpada, Harihar Patna, and Bhagabanpur have reported encroachments of less than one acre.
Officials reported that various types of buildings, including residential and commercial properties, have been illegally constructed on government land by land sharks, who then sell them to unsuspecting buyers. Numerous establishments, like shops, garages, resthouses, cowsheds, and hotels, have also arisen on government land, which are cleared upon receiving complaints.
