Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, April 12: Another case of land grab has come to light in Bhubaneswar tehsil even as the dust is yet to settle on the Ghangapatna land scam.
The forest and pasture land in five mouzas were encroached upon by the land mafia in connivance with government officials, according to sources.
The mafia has erected concrete structures on the plots and started using them for commercial purposes in blatant violation of the Orissa Prevention of Land Encroachment Act-1972 that states that forest land cannot be used for individual or collective purposes, sources said.
However, little is done to stop the encroachment on forest and pasture land.
Land records say that 2.54 acre land of Plot No. 294, 6.2 acre of Plot No. 1683, 5.6 acre of Plot No. 297, 120 decimal of N-2, 540 decimal of N-3, 700 decimal of N-4, 1 acre 50 decimal of N-5, 1 acre of N-6, 1 acre 100 decimal of Plot No. 1720, 250 decimal of 1721, 377 decimal of 1722, 2.1 acre of 1669, 1 acre 80 decimal of 1743, 1 acre 370 decimal of 1711, 690 decimal of 1712, 390 decimal of 1704, 1 acre 200 decimal of 1724 and several acres of land in other plots had been grabbed in Kalarahanga mouza of the tehsil.
Mango plantations have also come up in Tangibanta mouza of Bhubaneswar tehsil. Mango plantation was undertaken by a private entity on 320 decimal of pasture land on plot no 480.
Several acres of land under Marichia, Padasahi and Nuabanta mouzas were also encroached by the mafia.
Khurda collector Niranjan Sahu said, “It is illegal to acquire forest land and the encroachments would be removed in phases,”
Sources alleged that land grabbers have the tacit support of local sarpanchs, tehsil officials and senior administrative officials and this emboldens to continue with illegal act.
