Anti encroachment drive is a welcome step provided it is not selective. But what is happening nowadays is not far from selective movement. Thousands of kanal land has been encroached by land mafia but only the poor and weak are targeted by the concerned department. What is the relation between encroachments and demolition drives? There is a very close and unending relation between these two words which look antonymous to each other or can be said as supportive to each other. The presence of the former invites the action of the latter word. But it is a fact that the former is the base of generating the action of the latter. But it is also very true that without the encroachment there can never be a demolition drive. However it is a fact that encroachment comes first and invites demolition. But who encroaches and who has the power to demolish is more important than who comes first and who comes afterwards. It is now clear for the readers that here the issue of encroachments and demolitions is undoubtedly associated with the encroachment of government or common land by the land mafia or habitual encroachers or at many times by the nearby residents. But how do they dare to encroach upon the land which is not theirs and it is well known to them that the land they are encroaching upon is government or common land? And do they succeed in their attempts? This is also a very important question which no one from either of the party, encroachers or demolishers will ever be able to give a correct and definite reply. There are several demolitions carried out by the enforcement agencies and these activities are highlighted by the concerned agencies through media (print and electronic) and under these drives encroachers are dislodged from the unauthorized occupation of the land. But the number of encroachment activities is far more than the number of demolition drives. The land encroached is several times more than the land is claimed to have been retrieved. The million dollar question in this regard is when after the land is encroached upon, the demolition drive is launched? At many occasions this has come into the notice of people and also to the judiciary that drives have been launched after three, four or at many times after five to six decades after the land has been encroached upon. But can one ask why the encroachments are allowed to happen and that too for such a long period no action is taken against the encroachers? And have all the encroachments been removed and land retrieved? Why is the encroachment at its initial stage not checked and the attempt to encroach is foiled? And why do the enforcement agencies awaken suddenly and start a drive to retrieve the land? And do these agencies ever take any action against those officers or officials under whose tenure the said land was encroached upon? No, no action so far has been taken against those officers and officials who had been responsible for letting the land to be encroached upon.
