The district administration has initiated steps to identify the encroached lands in Sambalpur city. District Collector Balwant Singh has instructed the revenue and municipality officials to begin the identification within a month.
Sources said 280 acres of encroached revenue lands and 87 acres of encroached municipality lands would be identified.
Collector Singh said, “The revenue officials will submit a detailed report about the encroached revenue lands. Similarly, the Sambalpur Municipality officials will submit a detailed report about the encroached lands of the municipality.”
“The step has been initiated to get a detailed picture of the encroachment of Government land and municipality lands in the city,” said Singh. He also said that the district administration would not allow any further encroachment of Government or municipality lands in the city.
Rampant encroachment of lands has emerged as a major hindrance for development of the city. Even the roads and drains of the city are also not free from encroachment.
"It is really good that the administration has begun a process against encroachments. However, the administration should not limit its move to identification of lands only. It should also initiate steps to evict the encroachments.” said a local resident. “If the unauthorised occupants of lands are evicted, several developmental works will be possible in the city,” he added.