Karwar (DHNS): Shop owners at the Seabird Displaced Colony, in Mudagad, of Karwar taluk, cleared the encroachment on their own here recently. They had set up their shops on the government land reserved for fish market.

The district administration had reserved this piece of land as a market place for the fisher women. The district administration had allotted Rs 30 lakh to develop the land as fish market. However, as things did not materialise several unemployed youths had set up their shops in the area.

Deputy Commissioner S S Nakul had issued orders to the assistant commissioner to clear the encroachment by February 12.

However, the traders, after holding a meeting, under the chairmanship of taluk panchayat former member Umakanth Harikanth, decided to clear the encroachment on their own on February 11.

The decision for self clearance was taken to facilitate fisher women to continue their trade, he said.

Village elders Suresh Durgekar, Chandrakant Harikant, Uday tandel, Sunil Majalikar, Ravi Durgekar, Hema B, Usha Chandekar and others were present on the occasion.