The estate officer of Bokaro Steel Plant (BSL) on Thursday issued a showcause notice to those living in about 200 dwelling units, asking them either to remove their hutments by June 30 or be ready to answer why they should not be removed.

The notice -- issued by J.T. Kongari -- served at a time the district administration has directed residents to remain inside their houses in the wake of Covid-19 has shocked residents.

A BSL team visited the locality situated in northwest Garga Dam catchment area under Balidih police station and pasted the showcause notices on the walls of the erected units. The spot is close to NH-23.

However, the district administration is unaware about any such notice served by BSL. Deputy commissioner Mukesh Kumar said: “We have not been informed by BSL. We are looking into the matter. ”

An official said the town and administration department of BSL noticed illegal hutments mushrooming on the company’s land in that locality and directed its estate court to begin the eviction process by serving showcause notices.

Acting on it, a showcause notice was served to the people there. The notice mentioned that kacha-pucca houses, boundary walls, shops, hotels, poultry farms, etc. have come up without permission of the BSL. The construction over the premises is unauthorised.

The notice mentioned that “now, therefore, in pursuance of sub-section (2) of section 5-A of the Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants Act, I hereby call upon you to remove the said structure erected on the public premises mention in the schedule below or on before the 30.06.2020 or to show cause why this should not be removed on or before the aforesaid date. In the event of your refusal or failure to comply with this notice within the period specified above the said construction shall be removed by the estate officer and the cost of such removal shall be recovered from you as arrears of Land revenue”.

However, BSL, in view of the lockdown, has asked the alleged illegal occupants to file replies to the notice online.

Gaya man hangs self, blames employer

A 25-year-old man hanged himself to death on Thursday and left a suicide note accusing his employer of mental harassment, police said.

In the suicide note, he wrote that his employer had falsely accused him of siphoning money from the shop he worked at and was mounting pressure on him to return the money, the police said.

Mukesh Kumar, originally from Gaya in Bihar, was working at a furniture shop owned by Subodh Kumar in Ranchi. Mukesh hanged himself from a ceiling fan at his home under the jurisdiction of Chutia police station on Thursday morning.

“We have lodged an FIR against the employer. He has been arrested and charged for abetment to suicide,” said officer in charge of the police station Ravi Thakur.

Mukesh, in the suicide note, sought the strictest possible punishment for Subodh, whose actions allegedly forced him to take the extreme step, the police said.

“According to the suicide note, the employer had accused Mukesh of siphoning Rs 3 lakh from the furniture shop. The employer was mentally harassing Mukesh and he chose to end his life as he could not prove his innocence,” Thakur said.

Lightning deaths

Lightning claimed two lives in Hazaribagh district on Thursday.

A labourer, Kailash Nath Lohra, 38, was working in the field when lightning struck injuring him. The resident of Ranchi was taken to Hazaribagh Medical College and Hospital but was declared brought dead. The government has assured compensation of Rs 4 lakh to his family.

A BJP leader was walking towards his home from his field while it rained when he was hit by lightning in Shivpur Garlahi village in Barhi subdivision. Ravidas was brought to the Barhi referral hospital but he died.

Delhi returnee tests positive

A 28-year-old woman who came to Bokaro from Delhi on June 15 tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday. The woman, who hails from Sector 9, has been shifted to the Covid ward of Bokaro General Hospital. She was living alone in home quarantine. Tracing of her contact history is being done. Deputy commissioner Kumar said preparations were on to declare the area a containment zone.

A total of 94 samples were sent on Tuesday for the Covid 19 test. A total of 149 reports were received late on Wednesday night, all of which were negative. Sampling has been done in all three affected villages under Gomia block.