As many as 35 families living at Bijipara in Sundargarh for over last 60 years are now living in uncertainty as the district administration has served them an eviction notice.
The land has been earmarked for setting up a hatchery farm, a rearing unit and layer farm by the district veterinary department. last year, NTPC had been handed over 21 acre land of the veterinary department for their setting up a medical college in Sundargarh.
About five months ago, the district veterinary department had written to the district administration at Sundargarh for giving them 40 acre land for setting up the hatchery, rearing and layer units.
Sundargarh Sub Collector had written to Tehsildar, Sundargarh to identify the land and the latter identified 24 acre of land at Bijapada encroached by the 35 families for last 60 years. Sundargarh Sub Collector issued eviction order on the 35 families and asked them to vacate the area within 15 days, else there would be forceful eviction. According to sources, despite the eviction order, the families have not yet vacated the land.
“We have been living here for more than 60 years. We are daily wagers. If the district administration evicts us, where we will go with our childrenIJ” asked lochan Munda, a resident of Bijapada, adding, “We request the administration to rehabilitate us.” Meanwhile, Tehsildar Anjalina Pradhan said, “If they are not vacating the area of their own, we will forcefully evict them soon.” She, however, added that the administration will rehabilitate the villagers in rural area.