Bhubaneswar: In a successful joint eviction drive the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) demolished the unauthorised structure of ISKCON Temple and adjoining areas in Nayapalli, along the NH.
During the eviction process four squads from BDA-BMC, two platoons of APR police, one section of women police from the Commissionerate Police, a team with fire brigade from Odisha Fire Services were present with one enforcement squad of Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited. Four excavators were pressed into service, which started at 10.30 am and continued till 2.30 pm.
Not only the ISKCON Temple, but the entire stretch from Krishna Mall up to CRP Square with a width of 40 feet and length around 2 km was made free from encroachment. More than 2,400 square feet government land (of NHAI) was made free from encroachment in front of ISKON Temple.
However, the ISKCON eviction process hogged the limelight as during the entire eviction process two persons from the joint eviction squad and one onlooker were injured in the stone pelting incident by the devotees of the ISKCON Temple.
Two officers from the BDA Enforcement Squad were injured in the stone pelting activity and an onlooker Nalini Kanta Tripathy, an autorickshaw driver, was also injured on his forehead.
However, an ambulance of Sparsh Hospital, which was kept stand-by with the eviction drive, was useful as Tripathy was taken to the hospital and later released after nine stitches on his head and fast aid at Sparsh Hospital.
An FIR was also lodged with the Nayapalli Police by the enforcement officer of BDA on the incident and the unruly behaviour shown by the devotees of ISKCON Temple during the enforcement drive.
The eviction under the Central Eviction Monitoring Committee (CEMC) was necessitated for widening of NH and to control flash flood situation in front of the ISKCON Temple as per the order of Vice-Chairman BDA-cum-Commissioner, BMC.
Earlier during a visit to the ISKCON area the Vice-Chairman BDA-cum-Commissioner, BMC has found out encroachment of right of way (ROW) of the NHAI land by the temple authorities. It was also detected that the sewerage of the temple is being channelized into the drain nearby, which is meant to carry rainwater, not sewerage water.
The nearby Krishna Plaza was also found to have encroached into the NHAI land, for which excavation was carried out by the JCBs deployed during the joint eviction process. The mall has created a concrete pavement encroaching upon the NHAI land. In the process nearly 4,500 square feet digging work was carried out in front of Krishna Plaza over the NHAI land.
It can be mentioned here that the BMC Drainage Division will make a comprehensive drainage plan including urgent repair and widening of the existing drains in and around Nayapalli Haza and connecting the missing links for better discharge of the rainwater from the entire Nayapalli catchment of the natural Drainage Channel No. 10. This specific Master Plan would ensure that smooth discharge of water from NH near ISKCON area to Nayapalli Haza, from where the channel originates so that there would be no ponding or overflowing of water anywhere during heavy rains. Today’s eviction drive near ISKCON area will be helpful in reducing water logging in future days.
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