my uttarakhand news Bureau
Udham Singh Nagar, 29 Nov: In a major crackdown on illegal occupation and criminal activity, the Udham Singh Nagar administration has demolished long-standing encroachments on government land along Thanda Nala, an area once infamous as a hideout for criminals where even the Uttarakhand Police did not dare to conduct raids. The stretch between Dineshpur and Gullarbhoj had been illegally occupied by people from Uttar Pradesh, who had constructed houses on land originally belonging to the Irrigation and Forest departments.
It may be recalled that more than a hundred illegal structures had existed in the area, which had served for years as a shelter for criminals from Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab who used the congested lanes and unauthorised houses to evade law enforcement. During past raids, police had faced strong resistance from those offering refuge to offenders.
However, acting on the directives of District Magistrate Nitin Bhadoria, the encroachment-removal drive began yesterday and resumed early this morning under the leadership of ADM Pankaj Upadhyay and Administrative Officer Richa Singh. The administration was backed by heavy police deployment, and it demolished around thirty semi-permanent and permanent structures built illegally. It may also be reminded here that notices had been served to the occupants a month ago, followed by public announcements directing them to vacate the government land. Many occupants had already begun removing their belongings a day prior to the operation.
Before the demolition exercise, SSP Manikant Mishra conducted a drone survey and deployed police personnel across sectors to maintain security and ensure smooth execution of the drive. The administration withdrew after razing approximately thirty structures, and further action will continue against the remaining encroachments.
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has reiterated that encroachment on government land would not be tolerated and asserted that the government’s campaign against what he termed “land jihad” would continue with full firmness.
About The Author
