Bhopal:Monday, May 10 : Urban Administration and Development Minister Shri Babulal Gaur has warned that if any department is unable to protect the land allotted to it, the land should be returned to the revenue department. He said that the encroachment upon the government land on the name of slums should be stopped forthwith. Otherwise, he said, the problem of encroachment will continue for ever.
Shri gave this warning at a review meeting held at his residence today. The purpose of the review meeting was to take stock of encroachment on government land allotted to different government departments.
The minister asked the officers of the Madhya Pradesh Housing Board to explain how people have illegally occupied the houses constructed by them at Laharpur and for years how can they stay there and on what basis. Shri Gaur wanted to know who was the officer of the MP Housing Board responsible for the same and what action has been taken against him so far. He said that due to negligence of the officers government property is being encroached upon and situation of law and order problem is created when action is taken to forcefully vacate them from there. He directed the officers to make alternate arrangements before taking action to vacate the encroachers from Laharpur and initiate strict action against the officers and employees responsible for the encroachment.
Executive Engineer of Public Works Department informed that people forcefully occupy the vacant government houses after breaking open the locks and when reported the matter with the concerned police station, the police wanted that report should come from the directorate of estates. In this regard, Additional SP Shri Chandrashekhar Solanki said that he would get the matter investigated. Shri Gaur said that the police stations should register FIR and action should be taken. All departments are of government and responsible and if the report is false, there is provision to take action against such complainant.
Officers of most of the departments informed that there was no encroachment on the land allotted to their department. The education officer informed about encroachment on the land of some schools. Officer of horticulture department said that his department land is not encroached upon. When Shri Gaur asked him about Bade Bagh, the officer said that it was not under his department. General Manager of District Industry Centre informed his department’s land in the industrial area is encroached. Officers of other departments said that their department land is free from encroachment.
Senior and junior officers of PWD, Capital Project Administration, BDA, MP Electricity Distribution Company, Bhopal Municipal Corporation, Water Resources Department, MP Pollution Control Board, Public Health, PHE, Industries were present at the meeting.