Nuapada: Lack of education and awareness has cost dearly for the villagers of Sanbahali under Sadar police limits who were displaced by the Lower Indravati Irrigation Project in the district.
Adding to their displacement woes, Ponzi firm Vista Management Services Limited has reportedly conned the villagers of their compensation amount they had received in lieu of their land on fake promises of high returns.
The villagers are now a hapless lot with all their money gone and their houses gradually submerging.
Among the 10 villages that were affected by the project was Sanabahali. The village is home to around 100 houses, accommodating tribals and other backward caste people.
To rehabilitate the people, the government had provided Rs 4 lakh to each family and the second installment was to be paid after the villagers completed the construction of new houses.
However, the villagers were lured by the Seashore company officials who took away all the money on the promise of heavy returns. Now, the villagers are left in distress as the officials are nowhere to be seen.
Himanchal Majhi, the rehabilitation and resettlement officer of the irrigation project, said the villagers had voluntarily opted for self-relocation.
“Following government rules, the first installment of the compensation amount was provided in the beginning while the second installment was to be paid after the villagers completed construction of a new house. However, they have deposited all their money with the fake firm,” Majhi said.
Narayan Ahir, a village leader, who is now running form pillar to post to seek justice after losing all their savings to the Ponzi company said the villagers have been left to die both by the project officials and the Seashore firm.
“I had deposited Rs 2 lakh in Vista Management as its officials assured me to pay Rs 60,000 every year against my investment. Now, I cannot construct a new house nor stay here as water is submerging the land,” said Ahir.
“It was the duty of the project officials to spread awareness. Being illiterate, we could not know about the fake company,” Ahir added.
Fellow villager Laxmi Ahir has met with the same fate after depositing her money with Vista management.
“The government had given me Rs 4 lakh for vacating my land for the irrigation project. Officials of the finance company lured us by saying that our money would be doubled in a few years. Now, I do not have the money and cannot afford to buy another plot of land either. I have no idea where to go,” she said.
Similar was the condition of Karthik Ahir, Janaki Majhi, Santabai Ahir, Bhubaneshri Ahir, Kumar Majhi, Kamal Patel, Ghanshaym Patel, Padu Majhi, Raibani Majhi and many more in the village.
This spread outrage among the villagers who threatened not to vacate the place until they get their money back. Meanwhile, the state government has decided to return the deposits of all the people. However, the villagers are unaware if they have their names in the list.
When contacted, additional sub-collector Sitaram Patel said there was not a single name of the villagers in the list sent to the state government. There has been no police complaint by the villagers yet, he added.
He assured to look into the matter and send the names of the villagers to the state government.
PNN
