Bhubaneswar: The state unit of Congress, Tuesday, threatened to launch an agitation in the days to come if the government attempts to interfere with Ekamra Kanan farmland and change its original usage pattern.
Party leader Suresh Routray, Tuesday, accused the state government of trying to divert the valuable land, filled with several thousands of trees of different species for some other works. This comes after the state government transferred the ownership of the land from the state Horticulture department to the General Administration (GA) department.
Orissa POST has also highlighted the state government’s plan to sell out Ekamra Kanan land for construction of high-rise building by destroying the green cover there.
“Ekamra Kanan is spread over 32 acres of land. There are around 30,000 trees. If the trees are cut and sold in the market it may fetch upto Rs 40 crore. The site is known for varied medicinal plants and home to several birds. Mango, banana and several other species of plants are there. An orchard is there adding to the virtue,” Routray said.
He also added, “The flowers there are virgin and of high quality. They are also sold in the market. The government has now decided to hand over the land from the Horticulture department to the GA department. We strongly oppose the move. The Congress party is totally against the trade of the land with rich biodiversity.”
Routray said, “If the government plans anything to attack the plants and diversity there, we as members of the party would gherao the houses of the Chief Minister and the officials involved in this.”
“This government sometimes tries to do business with Bagala Dharmsala and want to lease out many other properties of the state. The government has in the past compromised on many such properties in the state,” he said.
He also said that the government had been roping in several government units to capture the land and do business of the areas by playing with the actual nature of such properties. “We plan to launch massive protest against the decision of the government to interfere with the land,” he said.