Bhatkal, Apr 10: With the increase in number of illegally built houses on encroached government land in Bhatkal taluk, revenue department officials on Thursday began the process of demolishing houses in Hurulisal (Survey No. 107, 108) in Venkatapura village in Jaali gram panchayat limits with the help of earthmovers amidst police security.
This has sparked fear and anxiety among other encroachers in the gram panchayat and taluk.
The order passed by Supreme Court to acquire government land encroached by people and the rising number of buildings cropping up on government land in Venkatapura, is said to be the main reason revenue officials have begun the crackdown on illegal houses and buildings, it is said.
The villagers living on encroached land in other villages in Bhatkal taluk had recently been issued notice to promptly vacant the government land that has been encroached. The buildings on Survey No. 107 and 108 have all been built illegally on government land, which is not to be utilised for any purpose. Hence, buildings had been asked to be vacated failing which the residents are liable for heavy fine as per revenue department regulations, as well as the cost incurred by the department for demolishing the buildings.
However, revenue officials unexpectedly began the process of demolishing illegal buildings within a week of issuing the notice, fueling anxiety of villagers in Venkatapura village.
Revenue and police officials including Assistant commissioner Chidananda Vatare, tahsildar V N Badkar, tahsildar -2 D G Hegade, DySP M A Ayyappa, CPI Prashanth Nayak and others were present at the scene of demolition in Hurulisal.
It is said that the revenue officials had previously also demolished illegal buildings in Hurulisal and other areas of Venkatapura village five years ago, but locals have rebuilt their dwellings even after the demolition process.
Section 144 imposed
Since the demolition had been the main agenda on Thursday, section 144 had been clamped in Venkatapura from Wednesday itself, which will be in place till Friday evening.
In addition to this, the police department has deployed security forces in Venkatapura taluk as part of precautionary measures fearing backlash from the land encroachers. Around 200 police personnel from all taluks in the district have been deployed in the gram panchayat limits to ensure law and order.
Pleas to stop demolition
Although there was no violent backlash from the encroachers over the demolition of buildings, the affected implored the revenue officials to halt the demolition process claiming that they had no other place to reside. However, the revenue officials continued the demolition of illegal buildings citing government orders.
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