Jhumpura: A mining firm has allegedly grabbed the land of 40 families belonging SC and ST communities in this tribal-dominated block of Keonjhar district while the affected people have been exhausted from running from pillar to post seeking justice, a report said.
“Years have passed, but the administration is sitting pretty and has not yet recouped the land from the mining company,” the villagers said. According to the report, an iron mine is being operated near Naibuga village in Basantpur panchayat under Jhumpura tehsil. The company started mining in 2010 and has grabbed the land of the 40 families to carry out mining activities.
The land losers have knocked at the door of the administration and approached revenue officials several times in the past, seeking their intervention to get back their land. After repeated complaints from the affected families, the Champua sub-collector had issued a directive September 1, 2016, asking the Jhumpura tehsil officials to measure and demarcate the land grabbed by the company.
The sub-collector asked the tehsil officials to demarcate the plots – 156; 255; 869; 258; 161; 200; 257; 214; 197; 209/08; 2091/03; 209/04; 207; 208; 209; 1486/215; 211/4; 222; 215/1487 and 209/03. However, even after a year, the tehsil has been able to measure only four plots.
Besides, two patches of land measuring 2 acre 67 decimal in plots-270 and 267 belonging to Chaka Kolha have vanished into the mine, it was learnt. Kolha finds no trace of his land in the area. Same is the situation for other land losers. About 48 decimal of land of Lochan Patra; 1 acre and 39 decimal of Gunjari Patra; 1 acre and 96 decimal of Sambhari Kolha; 78 decimal of Sunia Kolha; and 82 decimal of Kusunu Kolha have been under illegal occupation of the mining firm. The locals alleged the firm authorities have been misleading the administration to carry out their mining work.
When contacted, manager of Naibuga mine, Debabrata Patra, refused to speak on the issue.
Jhumpura tehsildar Janak Nayak said due to preoccupation, the land has not been measured. Meanwhile, the affected people seek to know when they will get back their land. PNN
