All illegal structures demolished in Bhitarkanika National Park: Official

Kendrapara: Authorities of Bhitarkanika National Park in Odisha’s Kendrapara district Tuesday carried out an eviction drive, demolishing all illegal structures within the park area, an official said.

Roadside eateries, shops and houses that had come up illegally on land close to the mangrove forest were demolished with the support extended by local police, said Tehsildar of Rajnagar, Jishukrishna Das.

The eviction drive was carried out strictly in conformity with the law. The structures were illegal as these were built on encroached forest or revenue land, he said.

The encroachers were served notice asking them to produce lawful ownership rights of the land. They failed to furnish ownership proof within the stipulated time. Therefore, the encroached land was freed from occupation by the ongoing eviction drive, added the official.

Many projects are lined up for implementation in the national park. It requires widening of the road. The illegal occupiers of the forest land have been identified. Stringent action will be initiated against the squatters if they resist eviction drives, said assistant chief conservator (ACF) Manas Kumar Das.

The Bhitarkanika National Park, spread across 145 square kilometre area, is home to varied flora and fauna.

The Orissa High Court had earlier directed the state government to evict the unlawful prawn dykes in the internationally acclaimed Bhitarkanika wetland sites expeditiously and lodge criminal cases against the encroachers.

On the court’s directions, the Revenue, Forest and police departments in a joint operation had earlier demolished the earthen prawn dykes that had unlawfully sprouted up along the wetland areas. However, the wetland sites are yet to be entirely cleared of the encroachments, officials said.

PTI

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