Jajpur: Land mafia in Jajpur district have fraudulently transformed fertile land into unfertile areas like Batijanga, Nanapur and Jogarada under Dharmasala tehsil.
Despite opposition from locals, land sharks have diverted 102.97 acres of fertile land inhabited by tribals in Batijanga, Nanapur, and Jogarada under Dharmasala tehsil to industrial units. Multinational companies with the help of land mafia have violated the Odisha Land Reform Act openly.
The state government faces criticism as it has failed to implement the land reform act properly in industrial areas. Locals alleged that it is the equation between the tehsildar and MNCs because of which the mafia has shown fertile land as unfertile.
Dharmasala tehsildar issued a public notice for the conversion of 0.68 acres of pasture land on Plot No-432, 468 under Khata No 196 in Batijanga mouja following a series of agitations and complaints February 4, 2019.
In the notice it was mentioned that if anyone has any complaint, they could lodge a complaint at the tehsil office within 30 days. But the officials intentionally produced the notice at the panchayat office very late, locals alleged.
As a result, they could not register their complaints in the tehsildar office. The locals also saw mistakes in the notice. According to locals, signatures of local residents and sarpanches of Thanual and Aruha panchayat were found false. A similar fraud was committed in the name of IDCO.
Locals said the revenue department has committed fraudulence to avail land to set up Ramco Cement Grinding Unit.
The public notice was made successful by the tehsildar with the signatures of seven people. From the seven people, Gandharb Behera died two years back.
Sarpanch Amulyadhan Jena of Thanual GP said he always signed in English and not in Odia. He said he will lodge a complaint at the police station.
When asked, Tehsildar Saroj Kumar Panda said an officer is working on the work related to issuing of a notice. He clarified that he had not received any written complaint yet in this regard. After receiving written complaints, he will take appropriate action, added Panda.
Tehsildar has called the officer who issued the public notice Monday to know about details of the matter.