Slum-dwellers take out a protest rally against the port trust disconnecting unauthorised electricity lines in Paradip on Friday. Telegraph picture

Paradip, July 20: A drive undertaken by Paradip Port Trust (PPT) to curb power theft in unauthorised slum clusters of this town today met with resistance from slum-dwellers.

The slum-dwellers, residing in close vicinity of the port town, hit the street today to protest against disconnection of power supply to their colonies as the PPT launched a crackdown on unauthorised connections.

The protesting slum-dwellers said that the PPT had turned “anti-people” by denying them basic needs such as electricity.

“Though we, the residents of the slum colonies, toil hard for the growth of the port town and its peripheral areas, we are meted out a raw deal by the port authorities,” said a slum-dweller.

“Trouble ensued at Sandhakuda slum colonies as the port trust’s power supply personnel disconnected lines unlawfully drawn from the nearby Central Industrial Security Force complex. The squad had swung into action as it was a case of power theft. Despite people’s protest, unauthorised connections have been done away with,” said Prafulla Dixit, superintendent engineer, electricity wing, PPT.

“The PPT is not authorised to provide power supply to unauthorised human settlements. Thus, the slum-dwellers are not entitled to electricity supply,” he said.

“People have been living in these colonies since the port came up here in the 1950s. The port trust is not sensitive towards the miseries of the slum-dwellers. We are denied access to safe drinking water and electricity. We have been pleading for power supply to the slum colony. People are ready to pay power cess. But the authorities concerned have turned a blind eye,” said T. Ramanna, a representative of slum-dwellers’ union.

On the other hand, the PPT expressed helplessness to come to the rescue of the unauthorised settlers.

“Legally, these people do not hold the right to an authorised electricity connection as they do not have land records of rights of their settlement,” said Dixit.

The bustling port town is shouldering the burden of over 75,000 migrant people living unlawfully in several slum clusters. These illegal settlers continue to pose much headache for the port trust authorities, apart from the civil and police administrations. Within the limits of Paradip Municipality, there are 17 illegal slum settlements, while eight other settlements are authorised as the port trust has turned these into rehabilitation colonies.