Recently, when a team led by Additional District Magistrate Talo Potom carried out an eviction drive against illegal vendors on NH 415 in between Itanagar and Naharlagun, violence broke out. The vendors, angry over the eviction drive, resisted the move and tried to physically block the drive. Thirty-six vegetable vendors’ sheds were demolished. The vendors turned violent and the police had to drag them away from the site. The whole incident was captured live on Facebook. The incident generated a heated debate, with some alleging that the administration selectively targets the vendors and does not initiate action against rich land grabbers.
This debate may go on, but there is no denying that the vendors who had constructed sheds over the drains near 6 Kilo committed an illegal act. They had blocked the drains by constructing sheds over them. The administration had given them enough time to remove the structures on their own, but they were reluctant to vacate, leaving the administration with no choice but to go for an eviction drive. In several parts of the Itanagar capital region (ICR), people have constructed illegal structures over drains and roads. These encroachments are creating major hurdles. The roads get damaged due to such construction. Further, it also makes the city look ugly and unplanned. It is time that the citizens stopped behaving irresponsibly. If the ICR has to develop as a modern city, the role of the citizens will be very important. Let the city grow as per the town planning. Still there is time, and the people along with the authorities should join hands together to develop the ICR as an ideal city.