Squatters who have returned to encroach upon government land at Khaasmahal in Parsudih have allegedly felled over 100 trees in the last week to pave the way for setting up shanties to live in.

Many of the encroachers, who had initially marked out areas using ropes or clothes, have already built dwellings there and begun staying there at night.

Concerned over the ever-increasing number of encroachers Jamshedpur circle officer Amit Srivastav has sent a request to Dhalbhum SDO Amit Srivastav to depute 500 armed policemen to carry out an eviction drive on March 18.

"We have decided to carry out a massive anti-encroachment drive on March 18. To ensure its success, we have requested the district administration to send 500 armed policemen on Tuesday," Srivastav said.

Srivastav said after the Khaasmahal land was cleared of encroachers, they would set up a picket of armed police. "This is to ensure the encroachers do not return and grab the land once again," said Srivastav.

The circle oficer said cases had been registered against six persons for mobilising adjoining slum-dwellers to encroach on the government land. "We are identifying more people who are involved in the encroachment of the plot of land at Khaasmahal," he said.

A large number of slum-dwellers from adjoining Jharkhand Nagar, Kitadih and Karandih had a week ago encroached upon over 10 acre government land at the prime location in Parsudih. The administration had evicted them on March 9. But they returned to the site

the next morning and were now consolidating their presence there by felling trees and building hutments.