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No takers for cashew orchards on lease

Staff Reporter

Threat from miscreants keeping people away

Photo: Lingaraj Panda

TROUBLE SPOT: Cashew orchards in Rangeilunda block .

BERHAMPUR: The State Government has reportedly lost around Rs 80 lakhs as four major cashew orchards in Ganjam district could not be leased out this year due to law and order problems.

There are five major cashew orchards by the sea coast at Kirtipur, Lodigaon, Markandi, Dankalpadu and Eksing under Berhampur soil conservation division. Every year inhabitants of 23 villages of four panchayats of Rangeilunda block used to collect money to take these cashew orchards on lease for three months for cashew nut picking. But this year due to law and order problem the villagers were reluctant to invest and take these cashew orchards on lease. Only one near Lodigaon village could be leased out.

Manhandled

According to Anil Kumar Sethi of Indrakshi village leasing of these cashew orchards used to provide income of around Rs 50 lakh to the unemployed of the area apart from generating around Rs 80 lakh for the Government. The villagers said they did not dare to take lease of cashew orchards due to threat of some miscreants led by three persons. Police have not taken any action against the miscreants despite several requests from villagers. They had attempted to burn down cashew plantations in March near Lodigaon village and had manhandled the leaseholders of Lodigaon.

The cashew nut plucking season is now at its fag end. The cashew nuts from jungles that were not leased out were collected by some one but the government did not get any revenue from it. It is alleged that the miscreants who are not letting villagers take the lease are behind the illegal plucking of cashew nuts from these jungles.

The district administration had tried to lease out four cashew orchards at low price. But the villagers were not interested in it till the three miscreants were arrested. They threatened not to take any orchard on lease next year also if no action was taken against miscreants. The villagers said leaseholders would incur losses as cashew nuts could not be plucked due to threat of miscreants. The villagers have decided to block the NH 5 indefinitely if the police did not take action against the miscreants.

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