The East Singhbhum district administration carried out a massive eviction drive on Wednesday, clearing almost 10 acres of government land in Khaasmahal, and removing encroachments from two other areas, but had to arrest 70 people for obstructing their efforts.

Jamshedpur block circle officer Amit Srivastav said the district administration demolished as many as 200 makeshift houses from Khaasmahal, in addition to clearing areas in two more places, namely, Golpahadi and adjoining Sundernagar where the slum-dwellers had encroached upon government land in the lpast fortnight.

"Now, the government land in Khaasmahal is clear of all encroachments following Wednesday's evicton drive. To ensure the slum-dwellers do not return, we have instructed various government organisatios that had land allotted to them in Khaasmahal to put up boundary walls around designated plots, " Srivastav said.

During the drive, a section of the encroachers resisted the administration's action. These men and women had to be taken into custody and put up in a camp jail set up on the premises of Jamshedpur bock office in Parsudih.

The district administration is thinking of setting up a temporary police picket at the spot, sources in the block office said.

In all 400 police personnel were pressed into service, besides earth-movers. The drive was led by SDO, Dhalbhum, Nitesh Kumar Singh.

SP (city) Subhash Chandra Jat, who was leading the police personnel, said that in all 70 people had been taken into custody.

"Those who were arrested had tried to obstruct the administration. We are expect more people to be taken into custody," said Jat.

The local administration had carried out a similar drive against encroachers at Khaasmahal on March 9. But those who had been evicted returned within 24 hours of the drive.