GUWAHATI, July 2 � Continuing with its anti-encroachment drive for the third consecutive day after facing flak from all quarters following the calamitous artificial flood and loss of over ten lives last week, the Kamrup Metro district administration today demolished a large number of houses and other structures on the Bharalu river and Silsako Beel to allow free flow and discharge of floodwater to the natural water bodies.
Senior officials said the anti-encroachment drive would continue and in fact, would be intensified in the days and weeks to come.
Today�s daylong drive mainly targeted localities like Rupnagar, Sarabbhati and nearby locations around the Bharalu river and Patharquarry and other areas around the Silsako Beel.
Meanwhile, beginning today, work has also started on clearing up of the debris from the demolished houses, walls and other structures.
�We have started removing the debris and work on dredging has begun in those areas from where encroachments have been removed. This is to ensure adequate space for free flow of water from the habituated localities. From tomorrow, we will start work on fencing such areas,� Kamrup Metro Additional DC Dhrubajyoti Das told The Assam Tribune.
Officials said over half a dozen JCBs were deployed to demolish the illegal encroachments and police and CRPF personnel were present to prevent any untoward incidents.
During today�s drive, 14 concrete houses, 41 kuccha houses and 23 boundary walls were demolished around the Silsako Beel and about 11 bighas of land were cleared from encroachers.
Along the Bharalu, 33 concrete houses were cleared and 11 families evicted. The land area cleared today measured about four kathas.
With this, during the last three days, altogether 46 concrete houses, 126 kuccha houses and 57 walls have been demolished around Silsako and land area measuring 22 bighas has been cleared.
Along the Bharalu river, in the last three days a total of 98 concrete houses have been cleared and 27 families evicted, with 15 bighas of land being cleared along a 1.6 km stretch.
However, some of the people who have been evicted during the drive over the past three days, have complained that the district administration is only targeting poor people, while leaving establishments of big business houses constructed in such eco-sensitive areas, untouched.
