Bhograi: The border dispute between Odisha and West Bengal in fringe areas in Balasore have remained unresolved over years while the neighbouring state stoked the old dispute by encroaching on land near Sahabajipur under Bhograi block of Balasore. This has created tension in Sahabajipur village.
Meanwhile, Balasore Collector K Sudarshan Chakravarthy has Thursday talked to his counterpart of the East Midnapore district about measurement of the land at site.
According to reports, the Bengal administration has tactically made an attempt to grab over 20 acres of land by pitching in poles near Sahabajipur. This has added to the woes of people in fringe areas.
Worse, the West Bengal administration and Digha-Shankarpur Unnayan Parishad, a culture outfit, have issued an ultimatum to the villagers of Sahabajipur to vacate the place within 15 days.
The land grabbing attempt by the Bengal administration has enraged locals, who have resolved to fight back the incursion bids.
“We are born in Odisha and would die in our motherland, but we won’t spare our land to anybody. None has a right to grab our land. If necessary, we will put up a fight,” they fumed.
They demanded that the state government give them protection measures. To counter Bengal’s illegal bid, villagers got the land measured Wednesday and pitched in poles on the borders too.
The Congress and members of the Utkal Sammilani, a cultural outfit of Odisha, have expressed concern over the issue. They have condemned the incident.
The Congress has warned of agitation at the Bhograi tehsil office if the government does not take steps to find a permanent solution to the issue.
It may be noted here that members of Digha-Shankarpur Unnayan Parishad of East Midnapore district had tried to grab Sahabajipur gramya jungle November 5. They dismantled valuable trees and betel vines with JCB machines. Locals had strongly opposed it.
Later, Bhograi MLA Anata Das, ADM Sambit Nayak, Bhograi tehsildar Kamalakant Panda, IIC of Talsari Marine police station Hemanta Majhi and local leaders had taken stock of the situation at the site.
They had apprised the Chief Minister, the Chief Secretary and the Collector of the development. The people of the fringe areas were assured of demarcating the borders and raising of fences.
Notably, for the last three decades, the West Bengal government had made several attempts to get hold of bordering villages like Tukpalasia under Morada tehsil in Mayurbhanj district in October, 2017. It had then sparked off resentment among local residents.
The Public Works Department (PWD) of West Bengal had set up a signboard with messages reading “Welcome to Jhargram district and Jhargram Zilla Apnake Swagat Janachhe” in the middle of a road in the village.
PNN