Eviction in Bethukandi: Locals cry foul, “Non-obedience of High Court order”

The eviction drive in Bethukandi area evokes strong emotions among the residents who have been living in the area for decades. Bethukandi hosts one of the most important embankments protecting Silchar from flood. The embankment was overtopped and breached by intervention from local residents last year and since then, the Government of Assam has been actively working on renovation of the same.

A part of the process is the eviction drive that was announced through aggressive miking by the district administration. Today, a huge troop of security personnel approached the area and started the eviction drive. Additional SP of Cachar, OC of Silchar, Circle Officer Kumar Gaurav started supervising the drive in the morning and a total of 35 residential establishments and 15 commercial ones are to be bulldozed.

The locals residing in the eviction drive alleged that they have been wronged by the administration and stripped off their rights. They stood today with copies of their tax receipts paid for the same plot where the building is being bulldozed.

A resident while crying, had said, “The building that is being bulldozed was permitted by the same district administration. My father has spent his hard earned money in building this house procuring all necessary documents. We understand that the Government is eager to ensure development of the zone and we want to contribute to the same. But, the land must be acquired and we must be compensated for our loss.”

Another resident drew attention towards a Guwahati High Court order issued recently. The order states, “In view of the nature of instruction received by the learned standing counsel for the Water Resources Department from the Water Resources Division, Silchar, the Court finds that this is a fit and appropriate case to restrain the respondent authorities from disposing the petitioners from their patta land without due process of law.”

The local resident added, “When we have shown the order, the officials did not even take it into consideration.”

While the demolition continued as per plan, there has been no report of untoward incidents.