Knocked down buildings reoccupied!

It is a peculiar situation obtaining with regard to the pulled-down structures constructed illegally alongside the rivers and water bodies belonging to the government. While only a part of some of these structures, only that which has encroached on government land, has been broken, the rest of the structure, in most cases houses, remains standing being on valid land. And these are being reoccupied by the owners or perhaps others seeking shelter from nature, or with the sinister motive of reoccupying and reconstructing illegally on the same spot, putting lives at risk. Most of these structures are in a dangerous state, as a picture in this paper of June 19 shows.

We compliment the BIWTA for pulling down nearly a thousand such illegal buildings, but does the responsibility of the authorities end with breaking down the illegal constructions only? If it is the only remit of BIWTA, it devolves on the civil administration, we feel, to ensure that these buildings are not reoccupied. Sign postings declaring the building dangerous should have been displayed in front of these buildings, and regular observation on these structures should have been arranged with the help of the local police, councillors and UZ members. It must be done in order to ensure that, firstly, the BIWTA eviction drive is carried to a positive conclusion and the banks of the rivers and canals are freed permanently, and that no one can move into the knocked down building till it is made safe enough, and under a certificate of the local authorities.