Paradip: The ambitious amnesty scheme launched by the state government to regularise unauthorised constructions in Paradip town limits has found only 20 takers leaving the Paradip Development Authority (PDA) in a quandary.
There are more than 10,000 illegal buildings in 120 villages under PDA. In order to regularise them, the PDA had earlier issued notifications on more than one occasion. While the period for people to apply for amnesty going to expire February 20, of the over 10,000 illegal building owners only 20 have applied by Monday.
Some residents said they are not sure if the PDA is going to take a tough stance on the illegal building owners. They have the reason to think so. They said PDA has never taken discernible action against these illegal constructions ever since its inception.
For the new township in Paradip, Paradip Jagatsinghpur Regional Improvement Trust (PJRIT) was formed in 1996. In the month of November 2005, it was rechristened as PDA. After 24 years of it existence, PDA’s area stretches from Paradip town to Rahama covering a total of 120 villages.
Despite the fact that PDA has many plots, it is yet to have its own building. The institution neither has its own town planner. A town planner comes from Cuttack two days in a month. With industries department principal secretary, Jagatsinghpur collector and additional collector as the chairman, vice chairman and secretary respectively, the office has been functioning from the top floor in the administrative building of the municipality.
Considering such a pitiable condition of the office, very few have shown interest to avail amnesty, locals said.
If Bijaychandrapur area is alone considered, more than 600 buildings have come up in last ten years. It is alleged that since the owners of these buildings do not have their land documents, 99 per cent of them have not got their plans approved at the PDA. It is also alleged these people do not possess required documents to apply for amnesty.
If rural areas are considered, the PDA has not carried its survey in these areas too. The situation is so pitiable that it is alleged that the PDA does not have the list of how many buildings there are in these 120 villages.
When contacted, PDA secretary and Additional Collector Kanhu Charan Dhir said, “All are equal before the law. Action would be taken against anyone who has violated the law”.
That said, how the PDA will take action against the illegal building owners in being questioned by locals.
PNN