Staff Correspondent
Port Blair, Apr 24: The Port Management Board (PMB) today evicted 16 families from ‘Bada Bijan’ (Old Barrack) situated at Dairy Farm. According to reports, nearly 100 year old wooden building, which is locally known as ‘Bada Bijan’ was declared unfit for human inhabitation nearly four years back, when nearly 40 families used to live in the building.
Sources said that nearly four years back the PMB had put a notice on the building saying “This building is unfit for human inhabitation. PMB won’t be responsible for any loss of life if the building collapses.” After the notice nearly 24 families vacated the dilapidated building however, 16 families refused to vacate.
“The PMB had served fresh notice a few months back following which this eviction drive was ordered. The eviction was carried out by PMB staffs and labourers, which Jawans from PS Aberdeen were there to maintain law and order situation,” sources said. The Police arrangement was so good that the entire area of Dairy Farm looked like a Fortress this afternoon.
According to report the barrack was actually allotted long back to only Bachelors working in PMB but later, some people started renting and subletting the rooms.
Later in the evening, vacated families sat on a dharna at the Dairy Farm Junction demanding allotment of alternative place to live. The Dairy Farm has two such barracks, known as ‘Lal Bijan’ and ‘Old Bijan’. The ‘Lal Bijan’ has already been evicted earlier.
