Silchar Municipality releases eviction schedule to vacate encroachment

June 25: Niharendra Narayan Tagore, Chairman of Silchar Municipal Board (SMB) has issued a notification on 23 June, wherein he has given a strict warning to all persons who have illegally occupied government land within the Municipal area of Silchar. The notification reads that whoever have encroached Longaikhal, Ranghirkhal, Bachaikhal, Singirkhal, Townkhal, footpaths, government lands and roads for commercial purpose should immediately vacate such illegally occupied land. In case, the encroached land is not vacated, then SMB will have no other option but to carry out an eviction drive. All such shops constructed on government land will be broken and the commodities inside will be seized and forfeited.

However, on 25 June, 2019, the SMB took concerete steps in enforcing its decision of getting the municipal free from encroachment. In its Facebook page entitled ‘Silchar Municipal Board – Conservancy,’ it was stated that the SMB is quite serious and jumped straight into action. It was written in Bengali in the said post, “যাদের মনে সন্দেহ ছিলো যে এই উচ্ছেদ অভিযান শুধু দেখানোর, এটা তাদের জন্য।” This when translated into English means, “This eviction schedule is for those who thought that the notification of eviction was just a namesake threat.” In the same post the schedule chalked out by the civic authority was posted.

Encroaching government land for business purposes has as if become the order of the day. Even drains are occupied my many and shops are opened over it, thereby causing obstruction to free flow of water. Footpaths are under the occupation of small traders. Ultimately, Silchar Municipal Board seems to wake up from its deep slumber and issued a notification to get the government land cleared from encroachment.

The drive which began on 25 June will continue upto 18 July. This will also be largest ever eviction drive in Silchar.