Siliguri, 31st July: On Tuesday, the Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) resumed its anti-encroachment campaign under the directives of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. By Wednesday, SMC’s bulldozers were back in action, targeting unauthorized shops in the Mallaguri area.
The municipal employees dismantled shops encroaching on roads and drainage systems, leading to strong reactions from the affected shop owners. One female shop owner claimed she had not received any prior notice or time to prepare before the demolition.
One woman, who had been running a small shop over the drainage for 35 years, voiced her anguish. With her husband ill, the shop was their sole means of survival, supporting her and her son. The demolition has now taken away their only source of income. She criticized the Chief Minister, lamenting that despite their support for ‘Didi’, they are now left in a dire situation