Kesinga: A tribal family of Dumeramunda village under Kesinga block in Kalahandi district has accused the PWD department of illegally constructing road on their private lands, thereby threatening their only means of livelihood.
The family, comprising of three disabled brothers, have sought the intervention of the administration to save their land as it is their only source of income.
According to the tribals in the village, the Revenue Department, on the basis of Survey and Settlement Act, had given the ownership of 20 dismil (around 8712ft2) land to Khunja Majhi of the village back in September 29, 1988.
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Post the death of Khunja Majhi, his three disabled sons (two blind and one physically handicapped), are using the 20 dismil land for livelihood. However, from 2017-18, the Bhawanipatana PWD department has been construction a road which will connect Kesinga College Chowk to Rupra village.
For this, the government has sanctioned 404.8 lakh. Meanwhile, the tribal brothers have accused the PWD department illegally using their land. As the three sons of Khunja Majhi are physically disabled, both the construction company and PWD department are taking advantage of it and constructing the road on their private plot.
Ironically, the department has not given any form of compensation for the disabled persons.
The three brothers have tried to bring the matter to the notice of the PWD executive engineer, but in vain.
It has also been alleged that Kesinga Revenue Department Inspector had taken signature from five persons of the village in a plain paper and provided a false report regarding the land at Kesinga Tehsil office in 2016.
The three brothers alleged that there are government lands also available for construction of the road. But since, the lands have been captured by influential persons of the area; the government officials are looting private land of the poor helpless tribals here.
PNN