Kamal Ghorui
Gaya: Demolition threat looms over more than 250 shops and houses in the Rajauli block area of Nawada district, with the administration giving occupants time till Feb 17 to voluntarily remove encroachments from public land. Officials have warned that structures failing to comply will be bulldozed, and the cost of demolition will be recovered from those who built shops or houses on the land.Records show that the encroachments include both temporary and permanent structures. Earlier, the notice recipients were asked to submit valid documents to establish their claim over the land, but none could furnish admissible proof to support proprietary rights.The notice for encroachment removal has been issued by Ghufran Mazhari, circle officer–cum–chief executive officer of Rajauli Nagar Panchayat, under provisions of the Bihar Public Land Encroachment Act, 1956.According to the sources, the decision to issue final demolition notices followed persistent public complaints about regular traffic congestion and related inconveniences in the area. Many of the affected people have homes or businesses in the local market, which typically witnesses heavy footfall.To prevent any law-and-order issues during the upcoming demolition drive, the circle officer has alerted the local police.Encroachment of public land—especially roads, lanes, grazing grounds, burial grounds, and water bodies—remains a major concern in Nawada district. “The problem is serious in Nawada town, where roads have narrowed due to rampant encroachments,” said Raj Kumar, a local businessman.Meanwhile, roadside vendors in Nawada have demanded rehabilitation, arguing that encroachment is often a compulsion rather than a choice. They allege that anti-encroachment drives disproportionately affect the poor, while influential violators usually escape punitive action.
