BERHAMPUR: Land provided to 30 dalit families of Manpur village under Bhanjanagar tehsil of Ganjam district in 1976 is alleged to have been taken over by others through deceit.

On Saturday, a delegation of the tribal organisation Lok Sangram Manch, led by Santosh Mallik, met Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), southern range, S.P. Thakur to broach the issue.

Probe ordered

Speaking to The Hindu , Mr. Mallik informed that the official, while expressing concern over the matter, directed the Ganjam district administration to investigate into it. He, however, added that if the administration failed to provide land rights to the dalits, the Lok Sangram Manch would forcefully occupy and distribute it among the dalits.

Hari Nayak, a dalit of the village, alleged that in 1976 the Revenue Department decided to hand over 42 acres of ceiling surplus land near the village to 30 landless dalit families of the village.

Pattas not given

They were even issued letters, which they preserve till date.

But they could not get the pattas or legal documents for the said land as they demanded equal distribution of land among the families, which did not happen.

Till date, the land was neither equally distributed nor pattas given.

The dalits were surprised when they came to know that the 42 acres of land was taken over by some moneyed people of their area who had even managed to get pattas for the land from the Revenue Department.

They had no option but to approach the authorities to demand pattas and legal possession over the land assigned to them way back in 1976.

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