Other States - Orissa   

Land-sharks have their way

BHUBANESWAR: At a time when the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) is thinking of purchasing private land for its future use, private individuals have consistently been taking away government lands in Gadakana where land prices are going through the roof in the recent years.

A Revenue Department record stated that some 55.20 acres of government land was registered in the name of private persons by successive tehsildars of Bhubaneswar though “they did not have the power to do that.”

As per a status report prepared on settlement operations in Gadakana mouza (village), some 300 acres of government land was alienated in favour of government institutions, the Railways and private individuals since 1973.

Close to Gadakana, the BDA recently finalised a deal with the Kolkata-based Unitech for handing over 10.74 acres of land at a whopping Rs. 211 crores.

A conservative estimate said the extent of government land, which was in occupation of private individuals in the Gadakana area, could be of Rs. 200 crores.

Waking up late, the General Administration of the State Government moved the Supreme Court to get back some 13.340 acres of land that was registered in the name of Harapriya Bisoi.

Similarly, the Revenue Department was clueless as to how note of possession was issued for four acres of land in favour of a person.

The report said the “land-grabber engineered spurious litigations” by way of different writ applications.

The value of the four acres of land would not be less than Rs. 50 crores, sources in the BDA said.

“It is now premature to say as to how much government land has been diverted since appeal cases are being adjudicated upon and complaints and final check up are yet to be done,” a top official said here on Tuesday.

Though those at the helm of affairs were advised to put up fences around vacant government lands, nothing had happened.

Taking advantages of various loopholes and by bribing a few officials, private individuals were out to make quick money, he said.

The BDA proposed to form Land Bank by acquiring and purchasing private as well as government lands for future projects such as health, education, research and information technology.

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