Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) and Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) authorities have launched eviction drives to remove encroachments from their campuses, abiding by a Supreme Court order.

The college authorities are helping district magistrates (DMs) and circle officers to measure the land encroached upon and to conduct eviction drives. On May 2, Patna High Court directed the government to file a status report on the implementation of the order the court had given on January 4, 2011, for removal of encroachments from medical colleges in the state. The order came after Supreme Court’s order last year, which had asked the high court to monitor the government’s steps for removing encroachments from the campus of government medical colleges in the state.

On June 19, chief secretary Ashok Kumar Sinha held a meeting with the DMs, superintendents and principals of all six medical colleges through video-conferencing, ordering the DMs to remove encroachments from government heath hubs within two months.

Giving the status of the drive at the PMCH, deputy superintendent Bimal Karak said: “We are helping the district administration to measure encroached land to help start the eviction drive. According to the 1955 map available with us, the PMCH had around 60-65 acres of which 7-8 acres are encroached upon. We are building a boundary wall, the absence of which aids encroachment on the campus. A temple, a few shops and vendors illegally occupied the space. None of them have proper documents. Cases would be filed against them.”

NMCH deputy superintendent Santosh Kumar told The Telegraph: “A month ago, we served eviction notices on all encroachers. Thirty-four of them filed objections to the additional collector, who will plan to carry out the drive accordingly.” Kumar said a high-rise has been constructed on the campus in which a private paramedical institute functions. “Of the total 88.12 acres, shops and buildings encroach upon 25-26 acres,” added Kumar.