The Bhagalpur District Bar Association has decided to file a PIL in the high court against the district administration for launching an anti-encroachment drive without making rehabilitation arrangements for the displaced people.

The district administration launched the drive on June 28, demolishing all illegal roadside food stalls, kiosks or homes encroaching on the drains, to improve traffic and parking arrangements in the city. It has snowballed into a controversy with social and civil activists accusing the district administration of being ruthless to people earning a livelihood from roadside establishments.

Sanjay Modi, secretary of the Bhagalpur District Bar Association, said the PIL would be filed soon. An estimated 12,000 people have been affected by the drive.

"The district administration did not make alternative arrangements for the displaced people or ensure their rehabilitation," said Modi. "Their establishments were instead forcefully uprooted. It's a violation of the Supreme Court's 2002 directive which ruled street vendors cannot be evicted without adequate rehabilitation. So, we will fight for the cause of the victims."

He added: "The administration has been ruthless with the underprivileged people who were managing to earn a livelihood on the roadsides but it is silent on those who have illegally constructed buildings, apartments and market complexes in violation of the Bihar Building Byelaws 2014. The law should be uniform for everyone but here the administration is a mute spectator to corrupt, influential persons."

The state cabinet in December 2014 approved the Bihar Building Byelaws 2014 to regulate construction activities in the state, paving the way for clearance of maps of multi-storied structures pending for years.

Modi claimed the anti-encroachment drive has not only robbed the people of their income-generation opportunities but have pushed many to despair.

"Sumit Hari, a Bhagalpur resident who ran a momo kiosk at the Ghantaghar Chowk, committed suicide on July 6. He was the sole earning member in his family. For many, this loss of employment might move them to crime," said Modi.

Bhagalpur district magistrate Adesh Titarmare did not pick calls from The Telegraph, but Sadar sub-divisional officer Kumar Anuj said the administration started the drive because the encroachment on the roads was proving to be a hurdle for the proposed smart city.

"Apart from traffic problems, petty crimes have also gone up in the city. Any encroachment is illegal but we are trying to rehabilitate the displaced shopkeepers at the Bagwari Bazar Samiti," he said. "After evicting the squatters, we will concentrate on illegal constructions in the city. No law breaker will be spared."

Congress MLA Ajit Sharma said the administration's action was not acceptable in civil society. " I have a footage in which some male cops were recorded beating a woman with lathi. There is also footage of sub-divisional officer Kumar Anuj beating people with lathi on roadsides. I will take the issue to the state headquarters."

On June 9, he also wrote a letter to the Bhagalpur district magistrate against launching the anti-encr-oachment drive without rehabilitation.

"The Bagwari Bazar Samiti where the administration is planning to settle the displaced shopkeepers is far away from the city. It will be more practical for the administration would open such options at Jogsor and behind Zila Parisad's building in the heart of the city," Sharma wrote to the district magistrate.