Post News Network
Jajpur, August 16: Even as 20 years have passed since the state government acquired over 4,000 acres of land from tribals to establish industries in Kalinganagar here, many of the displaced are still fighting an unending battle with the authorities for rehabilitation.
The state government promised compensation, rehabilitation and jobs to the displaced while it acquired their land. But, it is yet to act upon its promises. Many of the displaced feel duped as they had to struggle hard to get a foothold with many of their demands remaining unresolved.
The administration has never shown keenness to resolve their problems while the industrial plants have managed to hoodwink the displaced by employing some of them only as casual labourers.
The rehabilitation and relocation policy-2006 not being applicable to Kalinganagar has further aggravated the problems.
Earlier, compensations and rehabilitations used to be main thrust of the policy while they have now been replaced by relocation, employment and peripheral development.
This has flared up resentments of the displaced.
They alleged their kin, even after they gain skills and other professional qualifications, are not being considered by the plants here while the administration and the authorities look the other way.
The simmering discontent has often led to tension in the area as was witnessed in the recent case of Sarangpur villagers.
Notably, over 1,225 acres of land in Sarangpur village were acquired in 1992 and later to establish Nilachal ispat Nigam Ltd (NINL) which was set up over 2,565 acres of land with an initial outlay of `1,510 crore.
Thirty of the displaced families, after losing their land, eke out their living by working as casual labourers.
According to government records, 668 families in Baragadia, Nuagaon, Sarangpur, Khurunti and Godigoth were displaced while 447 have got jobs.
The demand of Sarangpur villagers to shift them elsewhere is a case in point as they have been exposed to constant pollution. Similarly, industries like Tata, Mesco, Visa, Jindal, Yazdani and others have acquired large tracts of land in the area.
In all cases, industries have only furthered their own interests and have failed to address the twin issues of rehabilitation and relocation. The tribals have handed over their ancestral lands and are fighting a lonely battle.
Many of them like Shatrughna, Pradhan, Lakshman Pradhan, Gobardhan Pradhan, Lakshmidhar Pradhan have left homes to work outside as migrant labourers.
When contacted, sub-collector Maheshwar Panigrahi said efforts are on to rehabilitate and relocate the displaced families.