Jajpur: The administration has initiated a process for environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) study before acquisition of the land for the ambitious government medical college and the expansion of the district headquarters hospital in Jajpur takes place.
However, no step was taken for gram sabha or a public hearing in the project area even though a notification to this effect was issued 15 days ago, a report said
The administration has started the ESIA study in the area under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and resettlement Policy-2013.
Bhubaneswar-based Life Academy of Vocational Studies has been tasked to carry out the ESIA study. This was stated by Abhay Kumar Nayak, additional secretary of the revenue and disaster management department in a notification July 7.
For the medical college, 0.1600 acres of land at Ankula under Jajpur tehsil and 0.3290 acres of land at Routraypur were proposed for acquisition.
For expansion of the DHH, 1.3070 acres of land has been proposed for acquisition at Sitaleswar village under Jajpur tehsil. The land beings to 18 people and Routraypur Sri Sri Akhandalamani Mahdev Trust.
The Centre has given approval for a 100-bed medical college while an outlay of Rs 384.04 crore for the project has been estimated.
It was learnt that the ESIA study is being conducted in individual consultation of the local people.
Rules say that public hearing should be done at gram sabhas in all villages if they are affected directly or indirectly by the project. This should be done within 45 days since the notification for the land acquisition.
Besides, ESIA study report should be available to all at the ward, the village and panchsayat levels.
In the notification, the additional secretary stated that the Collector, Sub-Collector and the BDO should take steps for uploading details of the ESIA study on the official website for public knowledge.
CDMO Dr Sudhansu Sekhar Bal said the department has provided necessary fund for land acquisition. The tehsildar can only say if the land acquisition has started or not, he added.
PNN