A month-long campaign will start against encroachment, announced by the Southern Mayor

The BJP-ruled South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) has started preparations to tighten the noose against the encroachment. Officials said on Monday that a campaign against the encroachment would be launched for a month, though a final decision on the date of action was yet to be taken.

According to South Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Mukesh Suryan, the campaign is likely to be launched in other areas including Okhla, Tilak Nagar and Shaheen Bagh. In a letter written by Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta to the South and East Corporation on April 20, it has been asked to remove the encroachment done by 'Rohingyas, Bangladeshis and anti-social elements'. Suryan said that regular meetings are being held for this. In areas where there is heavy encroachment, many other types of problems arise including traffic jams.

There was also a meeting on Monday. In this, preparations are being made to remove encroachments from all government land including roads, footpaths for a month. There are many such areas including Okhla, Madanpur Khadar, Tilak Nagar and Shaheen Bagh where common people are facing problems due to encroachment. The mayor said that such areas are still being identified. After completion of this process the final list will be prepared. He said that the date for the anti-encroachment drive has not been decided yet and it will be decided soon.

Last week, an anti-encroachment drive was launched by the North Delhi Municipal Corporation in Jahangirpuri. Violence followed on 16 April and the action drew criticism between the two communities. Ultimately the Supreme Court had to intervene to stop the action. Suryan said that encroachment on roads and government land would be removed. Necessary work is done by any civic body as per the requirement and Southern Corporation has also adopted the same process. The encroachers will not be spared and notices will be sent to public lands, roads and footpaths before the anti-encroachment drive begins.