Unauthorised occupants evicted from Utkal University staff quarters

Bhubaneswar, Sep 11 (PTI) After evicting non-boarders from gents’ hostels, the authorities of Utkal University here on Thursday evicted unauthorised occupants from staff quarters inside the campus amid deployment of police force.

After issuing notices, the university authority launched a drive to remove encroachment on the staff quarters on the campus. About four platoons of police personnel and officers were deployed at the campus during the eviction drive, an official said. According to officials, nearly 50 staff quarters on the Vani Vihar campus have been illegally sublet to outsiders. The quarters were made for university officers and employees, and many of those are in a deplorable state. The outsiders were residing there for several years, while some families were there for three to four decades, they said.

Vice-Chancellor Jagneshwar Dandapat said, “The occupants were staying there unauthorisedly. As the quarters are not suitable for living, those were not allotted to anyone. So we have evicted them.” University Registrar Swati Mishra said that the quarters, which are in very poor condition, will be demolished.

The institute already removed non-boarders from the hostels, while students have been demanding the eviction of slum dwellers from the campus.

The officials reiterated their commitment to restoring a clean and academic atmosphere within the university. PTI BBM NN