Port Blair, Sept. 30: Shri. Ajoy Bairagi, State President, Bharatiya Janata Party has requested the Lt. Governor and others concerned to stop the eviction drives during this time of pandemic.

Bairagi said that it has been brought to his notice that a large number of encroachments both old and new (temporary and permanent structures) have been evicted during these times of the pandemic from various villages of different districts.

He also mentioned that under the grab of new encroachments, even old ones have been evicted without following due process of Law. He suggested that during this rainy season and the ongoing pandemic people should not be forced to live without a shelter at least on humanitarian grounds.

Bairagi tried to clarify that he is not in support of encroachments but feels for the people who have been evicted during this rainy season clubbed with pandemic. He suggested the encroachments should not be removed until the pandemic is over and the economy is back on the track.

He also mentioned that Old encroachments should not be disturbed, evicted or removed and the same should be regularised after reviewing the report of the Vivek Rae Committee. The report submitted by the Vivek Rae Committee has not been accepted by the Islanders and therefore the same should be reviewed and revisited after due consultation with all the stakeholders including the representative of all political parties.