The State Government will soon rehabilitate the displaced households of Birsa Chowk. The district administration with the help of Hatia MlA Naveen Jaiswal have succeeded in convincing the displaced people in this regard following which they have agreed to vacate the place without any resistance. “We have already chalked out a plan by holding several rounds of meeting with the affected persons during which a consensus was reached by the both sides on rehabilitating the affected persons. A Government land at Kalyanpur Mauza near Hatia Station has been identified for the settling the slum dwellers,” Ranchi SDO Amit Kumar told The Pioneer on Sunday.
However, the resettlement plan is only for residents and not for shopkeepers as per this plan. According to Kumar, the administration was quite sensitive to the issue and has been working on the issue for the last one month to find a solution for this. “Due to the sincere efforts made by the district administration as well as MlA Naveen Jaiswal no hue and cry was made while carrying out the anti-encroachment drive,” said the SDO.
The official added that barring few shopkeepers, not a single voice was raised during the drive and people themselves vacated the place by removing their belongings from their shelters. Nevertheless till the arrangement is made, they would have to find an alternative place for themselves. More than 20 shops and two shanties have been demolished so far, whereas more than 200 more houses are still to be vacated in the next few days. “The anti-encroachment drive will again be started on Monday. As we have promised pucca houses to the displaced families, we expect that we will not have to face any protest during the drive in future as well,” said the SDO.
Hatia MlA Naveen Jaiswal also asserted that a decision has been taken by the State Government to rehabilitate the displaced as soon as possible so that they do not have to face any problem. “People have been requested not to interfere in the developmental work and at the same time we have promised that their problems will also be taken care of,” said Jaiswal.
The anti-encroachment drive at Birsa Chowk gathered all round protest from the Opposition, alleging the State Government of uprooting homes and residents at the Birsa Chowk in the name of encroachment. Encroachments on both sides of railway line near Birsa Chowk are being removed to make ways for the broadening of the Railway over bridge connecting the state capital with the HEC Township by the State Government.