Sarpanch, SMC Deputy Mayor’s sons clash over removal of ‘encroachment’ in Surat village

Speaking to The Indian Express, Solanki said: “The cattle grazing land with survey number 77 is owned by the panchayat. The Deputy Mayor’s son took the Madhuban party plot, having revenue survey number 76, on rent, and they had levelled the grazing land and allowed people to start an omelette shop, a pan shop, a chicken shop, etc, which were being functioning till late in the night.

They have also made a pathway on the grazing land to reach the Madhuban party plot.”

“Earlier, we asked them to remove such encroachments following complaints from the villagers. Seeing no positive response from them, we decided to remove the encroachments,” he said.

“On Monday, we had a meeting with the Gram Panchayat and decided to fence the entire cattle-grazing land under revenue survey number 77 with barbed wires. We will also submit a memorandum to the Surat district collector and the Mamlatdar in this connection on Tuesday,” he said.

Meanwhile, SMC Deputy Mayor Sudhakar Chaudhary, also from the BJP, denied the allegations of encroachment on the government land. “My sons have taken a party plot, where marriage and other events are held, on rent, and we have not done any encroachment. The party plot is the only source of income of the family. I have seen a video of the heated argument between the sarpanch and my children,” he said.