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KMC demolition drive faces rough weather
THE ANTI-ENCROACHMENT squad of the Kanpur Municipal Corporation (KMC) had to abandon its drive in the Chawla market area on Monday following stiff opposition by Congress corporators. Hundreds of shopkeepers, along with Congress corporators, raised anti-mayor slogans and gheraoed the KMC squad compelling it to suspend the demolition drive. Before the agitation, the KMC squad demolished some of the encroachments at Chawla Market.
Opposition by Congress corporators
THE ANTI-ENCROACHMENT squad of the Kanpur Municipal Corporation (KMC) had to abandon its drive in the Chawla market area on Monday following stiff opposition by Congress corporators.
Hundreds of shopkeepers, along with Congress corporators, raised anti-mayor slogans and gheraoed the KMC squad compelling it to suspend the demolition drive. Before the agitation, the KMC squad demolished some of the encroachments at Chawla Market.
According to information, the KMC squad, led by Lokesh Saxena, reached Chawla Market in the afternoon. PAC personnel and local police from the Govind Nagar police station were also present with the KMC squad. The anti-encroachment squad members started demolishing the tins-hed of the Ashoka. The KMC squad also targeted other tin-sheds and scaffolds of nearby shops and hotels.
Meanwhile, Congress corporators Naveen Pandit, Devendra Sabbarwal, Ashwani Chadda along with local traders’ leader Baldev Raj Melhotra along with their supporters reached Chawla Market. Hundreds of shopkeepers also came out on the streets in protest against the drive and raised slogans against the mayor and KMC squad. Confronting the KMC official Lokesh Saxena, corporator Naveen Pandit stated that in comparison to Govind Nagar, Gumti 5 was facing the worst form of encroachment. He demanded that the KMC squad first demolished structures at Gumti 5 and then at Govind Nagar. The agitators gheraoed Saxena and demanded suspension of the drive. It was only after the interference of Station Officer of Govind Nagar AK Verma that Saxena could be rescued and taken to a safer location.
Giving in to the pressure, the KMC squad ended its drive.
