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Journalism of Courage
With a team from the European Union visiting India to check the state of affairs at ports with import standards, the state Fisheries and Port departments have launched a demolition drive to clear encroachments at Veraval8212; Saurashtra8217;s biggest fishing port.
Amid tight security, the mega demolition drive commenced at the Veraval port on Monday. The authorities have removed nearly three-decades-old encroachment from the area.
According to officials, over 400 illegal structures were raged to the ground till Tuesday evening, while 200 more such structures will be demolished.
Although no untoward incident has been reported so far, elaborate security arrangements have been made in Veraval, which is considered a sensitive city.
Port officer C M Rathod said: 8220;With the help of Revenue, Police and other concerned departments, the demolition drive is underway. Encroachment was reported on some 1.15 lakh sq metres of land, out of which approximately one lakh sq metres of land have been vacated.8221;
Junagadh Superintendent of Police Hari Krishna Patel is monitoring the law and order situation. According to sources in the police, two DySPs, six inspectors, and 29 sub inspectors have been pressed into service. Also, two companies of the state Reserve Police Force have been deployed in the area.
According to Rathod, 80 per cent of the total encroachments have been removed so far. 8220;The operation is being carried out on the orders of our higher authorities.8221;
He added: 8220;A survey of the encroached land was conducted in 2005. Later, notices were issued time to time to the concerned parties. The entire land is owned by the Gujarat Maritime Board.8221;
Before the demolition drive begun, a lot of hue and cry was reported from the port area, including a call for shutdown and dharna.
