The district administration’s attempt to free the ancient town of Sirpur from encroachments has met with stiff opposition after Independent legislator Dr Vimal Chopra came in support of the encroachers.
The legislator dared the administration saying, no one would vacate an inch of land until the State Government has a rehabilitation plan for the encroachers. “The poor in the country, he said, have the first right on the land in the country” and said he would not let the Government to remove a single brick from the locality.
The district administration, initiated the demolition of the illegal structure following instruction from the State government to provide a fillip to tourism in Sirpur for promoting it as pride of the State.
But the people who have occupied government land for decades together have opposed the move as illegal and arbitrary without any rehabilitation plan. According to Chopra, it was unjustified to demolish the houses and other establishments of the people without making alternative arrangements for the displaced. He also interacted with the people and urged them to be united to fight against any move from the administration to evacuate them from their habitat.