Bolangir: People of Pardhiapalli in Bolangir district are caught in a quandary after the district administration served them a notice to leave the village within seven days.
Notably, Pardhiapalli is among the villages identified for displacement for the Lower Suktel project in the district.
In fact, the displacement notice has come to the villagers at a time when they are supposed to be confined to their homes during the second wave of the Covid-19 virus.
This notice also stands in contravention of the Covid-19 guidelines laid down by the government. The villagers have condemned such a move as bizarre and inhuman at this crisis time.
Worried over the development, the villagers have drawn attention of three legislators, the Chief Minister and the National Human Rights Commission(NHRC).
According to reports, the director of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement office of the Lower Suktel Irrigation project had issued a public notice (20, dated 13/4/2021) for the villagers of Pardhiapalli.
Thereafter, another notice was issued by the same office May 11. As per the latest notice, it was stated that a camp was held at the village from April 26 to April 30.
But the villagers did not furnish necessary land and other documents to claim their dues. They were told to receive sanctioned funds from the office.
Further, it was stated that legal action will be taken against the villagers if the latter fail to leave their houses within the seven days from the second notice. Currently, lockdown and two-day weekend shutdown are in force in Bolangir as well as in the state due to the spread of the pandemic.
However, the villagers are now reluctant to leave the village even though they support the project. Terming the notice as unfortunate, the villagers alleged that for the last two years, 11 demands of the project affected people have not been fulfilled as yet.
“Despite this, the administration has issued a notice to us. We have drawn the attention of the MLAs of Loisingha, Bolangir and Kantabanji, the Chief Minister and the National Human Rights Commission,” the villagers said.
The villagers have observed that the administration should meet their demands first. Inclusion of youths aged 18 in the list of oustees and adequate compensation are among their demands.
Reaction of Mahendra Kumar Mohapatra, the director of Rehabilitation and Resettlement office of the Lower Suktel project, could not be available.
PNN