Keonjhar, April 23: The district administration today completed the demolition drive on a five-acre government plot at Uchabali mouza in Barbil tehsil that had been illegally occupied by Champua's Independent MLA Sanatan Mahakud for about two decades.

The Keonjhar district administration had initiated the drive on Friday acting on a direction of Orissa High Court. "Around 85 per cent of the boundary wall built on the encroached land was demolished yesterday. The remaining 15 per cent work was completed today," said additional district magistrate Sangram Keshari Swain.

However, a cowshed built on the encroached land was not demolished on the request of the MLA.

"The district administration has given Mahakud five days to shift the cattle to a different location. The cowshed will be demolished only after evacuation of the livestock," said Swain.

Four bulldozers were engaged in the demolition job today. Like yesterday, heavy security arrangements were made. Four platoons of forces have been deployed at the eviction site and Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code has been imposed within a 500-metre radius of the site.

"We had made elaborate security arrangement for the demolition drive. Besides, the magistrates are also present on the site to guide the police as and when required," said additional superintendent of police of Barbil Dillip Kumar Sahani.

The district administration will shortly erect a barricade around the land to protect it from squatters.

"We will erect a barricade around the reclaimed land. A signboard will be placed here informing people that this is government property and all trespassers will be prosecuted," said Champua sub-collector Santosh Kumar Mishra.

The horticulture department will undertake a plantation drive on the land.

Mahakud had kept the five-acre plot in his possession since 1980 and erected various structures, such as a doghouse, a cowshed, a goatshed, a guesthouse, meeting rooms and an office complex on it.