Persa. A total of 490 bighas of land under the Special Economic Zone (SEZ) Authority in Simara has been encroached upon. At present, more than six hundred people have been living temporarily on the land of SEZ by building houses and tents.

Although the Special Economic Zone Authority has 833 bighas of land, industries and factories are operating in different blocks and some industries are under construction under 343 bighas of land. However, they are encroaching on the rest of the land and building farms and houses.

Site in-charge and engineer at the Special Economic Zone in Simara, Pappu Giri, said that the process to remove the land has been initiated as farmers have been encroaching upon 490 bighas of land.

The NRA has written a letter on April 9 to Jitpursimara Sub-Metropolitan City, District Administration Office, Bara and District Police Office, Bara, requesting for necessary coordination and facilitation to remove the land encroachment.

“We have already requested the locals to remove the houses and huts built by encroaching on the land of the Special Economic Zone and to clear the encroached land by informing the locals not to plant new crops,” said Giri, site in-charge of SEZ. ”

Sub-engineer at the Special Economic Zone (SFERA), Simara, Ajaya Kumar Chaudhary, said that each family has been provided six katthas of land for temporary settlement and ploughing for 93 workers after the closure of the factory.

“We have already initiated the necessary process to bring back the encroached land”, he said, adding, “We have already received commitments of support from Jitpur-Simara Sub-Metropolitan City and local administration.” According to the NRA, more than six hundred people have been living here by constructing temporary houses and tents. There are five blocks under the NRA.

Chief District Officer of Bara, Dharmendra Kumar Mishra, said the government was ready to remove the encroached houses and land of the Special Economic Zone Authority in Simara. “Both the NRA and the Ministry of Home Affairs have requested for necessary coordination and facilitation to remove the encroached land”, he said, adding, “We are ready to facilitate by providing peace and security after the NRA asked to remove the land by stipulating a date.” ”

There are 343 bighas of land in ‘A’ block. Currently, more than half a dozen industries are in operation while a dozen are under construction. Similarly, ‘B’ block has 128 bighas of land. More than 70 percent of the land is under the NRA. Similarly, there is 49.5 bighas of land in ‘C’ block. Similarly, 133 bighas of land in ‘D’ block and 178.5 bigha land in ‘E’ block.