File picture of police removing a protester during an anti-eviction demonstration in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar, June 8: The city will have a dedicated police force headed by an assistant commissioner of police (ACP) with magisterial powers to speed up eviction drives.

At a meeting held last week, special director-general of police Sanjeev Marik assured that under the leadership of an ACP, the force comprising three platoons of police, including women cops, would be available to carry out eviction drives.

“This force will accompany the eviction squad,” Marik said at meeting convened by the development commissioner. Following the meeting, the first eviction drive was conducted on Saturday near the railway station.

Despite protest from local traders, the presence of adequate force allowed the authorities to carry out the drive properly.

There had been complaints of commissionerate police not providing enough security and this was affecting eviction drives in the city

At present, there is a 10-member Odisha State Striking Force (OSSF) comprising retired armed personnel assisting the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) demolition squad. But the team did not have the powers of the police. The eviction team has to seek assistance from the local police through the deputy commissioner of police (DCP).

The local police always felt handicapped by the demand of the BDA as it had to spare personnel from routine law and order work.

The presence of an ACP will help the authorities in carrying out demolition work more effectively because the officer will have magisterial powers and can take decisions on the spot depending on the situation. A magistrate has the powers to order for lathicharge and even firing.

On June 3, the BDA, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and general administration (GA) department had conducted a joint demolition drive in Goutam Nagar area. But force of the local Badagada police was not present on the spot despite repeated requests by the authorities. Protests at the site had its effect on the national highway that connects Chennai to Calcutta. Vehicles got stranded on both sides of the highway for several hours.

“We need the police force as the encroachers often resort to violence and attack the team carrying out eviction. We have to call off the drive in such circumstances,” said a senior official of the corporation.

At the meeting, it was decided that there would be zero-tolerance towards illegal encroachments in the city.

Though many people are complaining that the authorities are not giving prior notice about demolition, BDA officials said that the government had taken a tough stance against illegal encroachers.

“Only those people who have deviated from plan violation will be served with notices and asked to put their points before action is taken against them. But those who have encroached on government land, drain and reserved plotswill not be served notices,” said Deba Prasad Dash, enforcement officer of BDA, who had attended the meeting.

To expedite the demolition process, the BDA will be co-ordinating with other agencies such as the BMC and the GA, roads and building (R&B) department, irrigation department, Idco, railways and the drainage division. All these agencies are part of the city management group.

“It has been decided that the eviction drive would be carried out throughout the year and steps taken to remove all hurdles. It will help in development activities,” said BDA vice-chairman Krishan Kumar, who is also the BMC commissioner.