Surguja: In a major anti-encroachment drive carried out by the district administration on Monday, January 20, more than 40 illegal settlements were demolished at Mahamaya Pahadi (hill) area in Ambikapur.
The action was taken days after the state forest minister expressed his displeasure over the illegal encroachments on forest lands and gave strict instructions to the officials to free the encroached lands of the department.
A notice to free the illegal occupation at Mahamaya hills was served to encroachers on January 17, after which the forest department along with the district administration carried out the anti-encroachment drive on Monday morning.
After the administration sent notices to the people accused of encroachment, a few of them approached the high court, seeking a halt on the demolition drive hearing on which the court issued direction to halt the drive till the next hearing.
At the outset, officials of the forest department along with the district administration reached the spot with JCB machines on Monday morning. The settlers were allowed time to remove their belongings on humanitarian ground after which action was taken over the encroached settlements.
Heavy deployment of police was made with a few barricades barring the free entry in the Navagarh area was also placed by the administration.
Meanwhile, a few of the local congress leaders also sat down before the JCB machines, demanding withdrawal of the machines from the spot, they were later removed by the police.
The drive continued for around 4-5 hours before the high court halted it temporarily in the afternoon. Though, over 40 houses were already been bulldozed by then.
“The drive was halted after the court’s order, though 45 houses were already been bulldozed by then, the encroachers were earlier allowed time to move their belongings on humanitarian ground. The administration will keep a vigil watch to maintain the status quo till the next order of the court, said district collector, Surguja, Vilas Bhoskar.
Meanwhile Chhattisgarh Finance Minister O.P Choudhary on Tuesday come down heavily on the previous regime of the Congress party over the illegal settlements on the Mahamaya hill.
Taking to the X, Chaudhary said “Fearless encroachment continued in the heart of Mahamaya hill in Ambikapur and the hill kept on sobbing. Yesterday morning when administration ran a bulldozer…People were speaking Bangla there…Will Bhupesh Baghel answer for his misdeeds of the last five years?”
अंबिकापुर के महामाया पहाड़ में चला बुलडोजर….हमारे छत्तीसगढ़ के माथे अर्थात सरगुजा के संभाग मुख्यालय अंबिकापुर के महामाया पहाड़ के सीने में बेखौफ अतिक्रमण होता रहा,महामाया पहाड़ सिसकता रहा….दुर्भाग्य कि सब कुछ बदस्तूर जारी रहा है… कल सुबह महामाया पहाड़ की इस सिसकती आवाज को… pic.twitter.com/iAUqSzTECk
— OP Choudhary (@OPChoudhary_Ind) January 21, 2025
“Will he answer for his dirty politics of appeasement? Will he answer for his deafness on the sobbing voice of the Mahamaya hill,” questioned Choudhary.
Located in the Navagarh area of Ambikapur, the divisional headquarters of Surguja, a portion of the Mahamaya hill was marred by illegal encroachment for years with the number of illegal encroachers reportedly aggravating during the previous regime of the congress government.
