Dhanbad

Dhanbad : Hundreds of school children joined the ongoing protest of footpath shopkeepers on Tuesday.

Children in school dress joined the protest along with their parents and took out rally on city roads to stop the ongoing encroachment drive by district administration.

According to the children, they are getting proper education because of their parents as they (Parents) earn for them.

“We are getting proper education as our parents are self dependent and capable to meet the  basic amenities needed for livelihood including education,” said Amrita, a class seven student, while protesting against the ongoing encroachment in Dhanbad.

Another student Rahul said their parents are engaged in business on footpaths as they (Parents) didn’t get employment.

“If government will attack on our livelihood, how will we survive and become good citizen of the country” asked Rahul adding that the government should initiate to rehabilitate the footpath shopkeepers before removing them from footpath.

The footpath shopkeepers association declared the ongoing encroachment drive antihuman and demanded to stop.

Hundreds of shopkeepers staged a daylong dharna on Tuesday at Randhir Verma Chauk following their demand to stop encroachment drive before rehabilitation.

“Sale on footpath is the means of our livelihood and thousands of people are engaged in footpath business for their bread and butter.

The state government must be sensitive as the encroachment drive without rehabilitation will throw our lives out of gear,” said Pappu Singh, leader of footpath shopkeeper’s body, while expressing worry for future.

On the other hand, encroachment drive was continuing on Tuesday. The officials of district administration led by Circle Officer, Dhanbad removed encroachment from various areas Bankmore, Purana Bazar.