Post News Network
Baripada/Badasahi, Sept 17: Land belonging to one of the oldest schools in Mayurbhanj – Badasahi ME School—has allegedly been grabbed by locals. The administration, though aware of this, has not bothered to clear the encroachments.
The school, set up in 1928, had 11 acres 71 decimals of land on its record. Over the years, its land gradually came under illegal occupation by several people. Even houses came up on it. As a result, its campus has shrunk.
Oriya daily Dharitri had published a report about illegal occupation of the school land August 1. Taking serious note of the matter, collector Rajesh Prabhakar Patil had directed the tehsildar to look into the case. But the order has reportedly not been carried out.
Many villagers apprehend that if the present trend of encroachment continues, the whole vacant portion of the land will be grabbed in 10 years.
Recalling the humble beginnings of the school and the noble efforts of some youths, villagers say Kanduri Behera, Anadi Das, Suryanarayan Behera and Lalmohan Panda, among others, started the school on a government land from a small thatched house in 1928 to boost education in a backward area like Badasahi. The government recognised it the same year and provided funds for an asbestos house the following year.
Prahallad Dwari was appointed as the first headmaster. Over the years, the school saw development with quarters coming for school teachers.
In 2009, then headmaster Bankim Bihari Patra had initiated efforts to demarcate the land. However, he was threatened by vested interests. His efforts remained futile. Those who grabbed the land had threatened the teachers and administrative officials whenever the latter went about identifying the land.
The district collector, however, August 6, 2015, directed Badashi tehsildar to look into the matter. Badasahi RI Jagannath Behera had appealed to the tehsildar to provide an amin and security personnel for land measurement. However, there has been no response from the tehsildar as yet, the RI said.
Behera also said cases have been filed against eight persons for grabbing 80 decimal of land.
Rabindra Behera, a former student, however, asserted that more than 80 decimal of land has been encroached on.
Contacted, additional tehsildar Prasanna Kumar Nayak said an investigation order has been issued in this regard, but that does not mean a report will be submitted forthwith.
Removal of encroachments has become necessary as a proposal is there to convert it into a model school. Over 380 students study in the school with hostel facilities for 210 tribals students.
People’s representatives like sarpanch and MLA have also demanded removal of encroachments.