Loisingha: Residents of Jogisarda panchayat under this block of Bolangir district locked up some government officials and staffers as their repeated pleas for action against encroachers of a temple land fell on the deaf ears of the administration, Tuesday.
Several officials including tehsildar Sanghamitra Kalo, BDO Akshaya Pani Udu, ABDO Surendra Singh Babu, BSSO Asha Padhaan, APO Pushpanjali Swain and revenue inspector, among others had to face the embarrassing situation during a Panchayat-level grievance hearing and awareness camp at Jogisarda panchayat office.
According to reports, the state government has allocated more than Rs 4 crore for the development and beautification of the famous Jogeshwar Peeth, a significant tourist spot. The temple stands on 42 acres of land with an additional seven acres surrounding the shrine.
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However, some land sharks have encroached upon the temple’s Jatra Padia and other areas that are endowment properties. The encroachers have constructed houses and shops on the landed properties of the shrine. Although the detailed project report (DPR) of the proposed redevelopment of the shrine periphery includes a children’s park and parking space, land issues stand as an obstacle to the execution of the plan. Despite multiple appeals by the villagers to the district administration and the local tehsildar to resolve this issue, the problem has only become more complicated.