Bhubaneswar, Sept 2: The land oustees of the Hirakud dam are shortly going to get new Records of Rights(ROR) as the Odisha government has taken in- principle decision to provide compensatory homestead lands to the project affected people.
In a historic decision to resolve land issues at various places Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today took an in-principle decision to allot land pattas to people.
With the inputs of the 5T Secretary VK Pandian as he received huge numbers of land-related complaints from the people during his visit to districts, the revenue department is all set to redress the grievances of the project affected people, said sources.
People had apprised the 5T Secretary about the long-standing problem of Hirakud Dam displaced persons, land right issues of people residing on government land for a long period of time, ryot issues and several other similar issues.
After 5T Secretary apprised the Chief Minister of the aforementioned issues, the decision was taken at a meeting held on the direction of the Chief Minister.
Development Commissioner Anu Garg, Additional Chief Secretary Revenue Department Satyabrat Sahu, 5T Secretary VK Pandian Collectors of Ganjam and Jharsuguda and other senior officers resolved in a meeting to look into the mass issues.
It was decided at the meeting to allot pattas to the people after permanent resolution of land-related issues. In the meeting, it was decided to resolve the land-related issues of 19 villages which include 18 villages of Lakhanpur tehsil and one village of Jharsuguda tehsil.
A total of 1749 families will be given rights over about 3231 acres of land.
Distribution of pattas will begin in the 5 villages – Limeithikra, Sahasbag, Chitlachipalli, Patrapalli and Duanmunda in the December.
The problem of Hirakud Dam displaced persons in Jharsuguda district is of over 50 years.
The 5T Secretary visited Ganjam district on August 26. After listening to the problems of the people there, the land issue was resolved in just 5 days.
According to the decision of the meeting, 883 people of 17 villages of Sorada block of Ganjam district will be allotted pattas of homesteads and patta distribution process will be completed by September 22, 2023.
Similarly, 168 people will be given pattas for farmlands and the process will start from October.
The Chief Minister has directed various departments and District Collectors to take timely steps to resolve the various grievances of the people found during 5T Secretary VK Pandian’s visit to the district.
