Koraput/Narayanpatna: Allegations against the Andhra Pradesh government over intruding into Odisha land have once more cropped up. The matter came to light after a complaint was filed at Bandhugaon block office over alleged cultivation of palm oil seeds on 36 acre of land at Kapalada village in Koraput district, sources said. Bandhugaon tehsildar Sadashiv Bhatra visited the spot in Kapalada village and took stock of the situation Tuesday. During the tehsildar’s visit, officials also seized two JCB earthmovers engaged in cultivation work. Koraput Zilla Parishad chairperson Sasmita Melka also visited Kapalada village. She directed the tehsildar to stop the palm oil seed cultivation and asked people accompanying her to uproot the saplings that had grown.
Sources said that a person identified as Dr Ram Mohan belonging to Andhra Pradesh had carried out the cultivation of palm oil seeds after settling down in Kapalada village. He had done so after allegedly cutting trees spread over 36 acre of land. Out of the total land encroached, 29 acre belonged to the Odisha government while the remaining seven acre were private plots. Ram Mohan however, refuted the allegation against him. He said he had leased the land from private owners in Kapalada village. Officials informed that the Centre has implemented ‘Bana Bandhu Yojana’ scheme in hilly areas of the block to usher in green cover on dry and barren land areas, three years back.
As part of this programme, the District Watershed Mission carried out the cultivation of sunflowers and other vegetables by providing irrigation facilities in some villages of Bandhugaon block. Officials had then said that the programme was being carried out to improve the financial condition of the farmers. However, all farmers were not interested in sunflower or vegetable cultivation.
Many of them were into lemon grass cultivation because of the profits involved. They were preparing oil from the lemon grass and selling it in the market. However, the situation now is different from what it was before. A large number of farmers have shifted elsewhere in search of better income leaving their farmlands unattended. This has happened because lemon grass prices have decreased in the market. Earlier, a litre of lemon grass oil fetched Rs 1,300 but it has now come down to Rs 900.
As a result, hundreds of acre of farmlands are lying barren without being cultivated. Taking advantage of the situation, a number of people from Andhra Pradesh have taken land from the farmers on lease and carrying out cultivations of their choice. In the process, the farmers are allowing people from Andhra to settle down in Kapalada village and build a settlement of their own. Unknowingly, they are allowing Andhra people to encroach on Odisha’s land.