Now -a- days, it has been very common among influencial people to grab valuable Government land but in Keonjhar town, encroachers don't hesitate to encroach even the public road by influence of their position.
Sources revealed that Srihari Vihar, a newly developed colony, is situated in a prime location of the Keonjhar town by the side of DD College - New Medical College road under Ward 21.
About 15 years back, when Shree Hari Vihar was first developed to a residential colony, inhabitants had been using a Government plot as an approach road to the colony.
While 500 inhabitants use the road, they hold annual religious programmes like Vishub Sankranti by the road side.
But this year no programme could be held as one Padminee Das, a former Councilor of the ruling BJD encroached a major part of the road by installing barricades and fencing it with iron wire.
After this, the matter was immediately brought to the notice of the then Executive Officer, Sub- Collector and Tehsildar ,Sadar but no action was taken as yet.
Taking advantage of the laxity of the Government authority who were supposed to take immediate action, now the encroacher is planning to build a concrete work over the plot.
If no immediate action is taken against the encroacher, the wide public road will be converted in to a narrow, after which the movement of heavy vehicles like truck / dumper will be impossible.
Besides, emergency vehicles like ambulance and Fire brigade also can't move into the colony, alleged the inhabitants.
They further alleged that when the District Town Planning Authority had approved of their housing plan ,at that time, it had mentioned about the width of the approach road which is minimum 20 feet.
But now after encroachment, the road's width has shrunk.
The locals meanwhile have demand immediate action to stop the illegal activities and take action against the encroachers.