Puri: The district administration’s effort to recover a sum of Rs 1,07,49,820, which was illegally disbursed among 24 land owners around Srimandir, suffered a major setback after the Orissa High Court put a stay on any action against nine such land owners.
It is alleged that massive irregularities were carried out in the distribution of compensation for land acquired for the expansion of Srimandir periphery. The irregularities were detected in an audit and the district administration recently filed certificate cases under the Orissa Public Demand Recovery (OPDR) Act against 24 persons with the sub-collector’s court.
However, nine of the total 24 land owners moved the Orissa High Court and succeeded in getting stay orders on the administration’s move. The HC, in its order, has clarified that no step should be taken to recover the public money from the land owners till the next order in this regard.
Gangadhar Mohapatra, one of the land owners, was supposed to pay Rs 7,32,210 to the administration, but he managed get a stay order from the HC. Similarly, the administration had asked the land owner of North Side mutt of the Srimandir to pay Rs 51,40,838, but the mutt authorities also obtained a stay order on the administration’s move.
According to sources, the state government had decided to expand the outer periphery of Srimandir by 30 feet. In 2015, 98 decimal of land was acquired in Kalikadevi Sahi, Chudanga Sahi, Baseli Sahi and Manikarnika Sahi, most of which belonged to the mutts.
As the temple administration and the mutts are at loggerheads over land dispute, it was decided to keep the amount meant to be disbursed for the acquired land in the form of civil deposit. It was also decided that the compensation for demolition of buildings of the mutts would be given directly to the abbots of the mutts.
As per the decision, Rs 15 crore was kept as civil deposits, while Rs 6.50 crore was disbursed as compensation and solatium.
According to the Land Acquisition Act 1894, the compensation for collateral damages should be given to the land owner. However, there was no provision for solatium for the collateral damages. The land acquisition for Srimandir periphery expansion was done as per the 2013 Land Acquisition Act in which there was no provision for solatium for collateral damages.
Despite this, compensation for the collateral damages and 100 per cent solatium was given to the 24 land owners illegally in violation of the Land Acquisition Act.
Soon after the irregularities were unearthed, the district administration sought advice from the Revenue Department in this regard. On its part, the Revenue Department confirmed that the compensation for collateral damages can be given to the land owner, but 100 per cent solatium should not be given.
Subsequently, the district collector issued an order directing the recovery of Rs 1,07,49,820 from the 24 land owners. The district land acquisition officer has served notices to all the land owners concerned twice with a view to recover the money, but in vain. Later, certificate cases were registered against the 24 concerned persons with the sub-collector’s court September 15.
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