Hours after the Minister for Co-operation, Vishwas Sarang, blew the cover off alleged land-grab activity in the Karond area of the state capital, a large district administration posse descended on the area on Friday and dismantled infrastructure belonging to those encroaching on government land.
Leading from the front, Minister Sarang remained present to oversee the drive. He said that encroachment on government land would not be tolerated.
Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Ravish Kumar Srivastava led a team comprising the district administration, police, and the municipal corporation to free the land of encroachments.
A heavy police deployment was witnessed at the site, where a JCB was pressed into action to pull down the unauthorised construction.
Reviewing the demolition activity, Minister Sarang urged the district administration to immediately remove unauthorised construction from government land and initiate steps to prevent the recurrence of such incidents in the future.
He said that land mafias capture government land and sell it to gullible buyers, causing a loss to both the public and the government.
Minister Sarang directed officials to conduct a thorough survey of the area to identify encroachments on government land and free the area of the menace.
On Thursday evening, the minister had conducted surprise checks in the area after receiving complaints about the illicit sale of government land in the Karond, Badwai, Rusalli, and Palasi areas of the state capital.
The builders had run away, leaving behind their vehicle upon seeing the minister's cavalcade approach them. The vehicle remains confiscated by the police.
