Nuapada/Sinapali: Even as the row between Chhattisgarh and Odisha over the sharing of Mahanadi water refuses to die down, a fresh dispute has surfaced between the two neighbours over the ownership of land in Nuapada district close to the border.
According to reports, the Revenue Department of Chhattisgarh has encroached upon the land of the farmers in Odisha’s Nuamalpada panchayat under Sinapali tehsil. Worse, the administration of the neighbouring state has also distributed that land among its landless. This, despite the fact that the farmers in the state possess the record of rights of the land, alleged the victims of Nuamalpada panchayat.
Meanwhile, tension mounted near the border as Sunday Nuapada district administration is yet to take any corrective measure in this regard, a report said.
According to sources, some farmers of Malpada village, including Harisingh Parabhoe, Jagannath Parabhoe, Pitambar Parabhoe, Haladigundi Dei, Chandrasejkhar Parabhoe, Ashokram Bag, Harish Jal, Makar Banchhor and others had been cultivating on about 25 acres for the past several years. They also received land pattas (record of rights) as they were the legitimate owners of the land here over several generations.
However, about three weeks back, the locals spotted some officials of Chhattisgarh roaming in the vicinity of their farmlands. Later, it was learnt that the outsiders comprised members of a team of Chhattisgarh Revenue Department officials and the tehsildar of Mainjapur of Chhattisgarh. The villagers also came to know that the revenue officials of Chhattisgarh had allotted their lands to landless persons of Burujjabahal area of Chhattisgarh.
Sinapali block chairperson Tapaswini Majhi has lodged a written complaint with the Sinapali tehsildar in this connection. However, the district administration is yet to wake up to the threat and initiate any steps to prevent the local farmers’ lands from being usurped by Chhattisgarh.
“Though it is already time to start farming activities we are unable to enter our farmlands as the people from Chhattisgarh are seen guarding the land with lathis,” said some farmers of Sinapali expressing their helplessness.
Meanwhile, the district administration swung into action Monday with revenue inspector Jagatram Chhatria reached Nuamalpada village with other officials. On being directed by Collector Dr Poma Tudu, tehsildar Nilamber Sunani also went there and identified some old pillars fixed on the border. The lands belong to Odisha and a permanent boundary wall would be constructed in consultation with the Collector, tehsildar Sunani said.
It is feared that the problems of the state’s farmers may soon snowball into a major issue as the animosity over the Mahanadi river water row itself seems to be far from being resolved.
PNN
