Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, August 27: The Assembly Thursday passed four bills, including the long-awaited Orissa Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill, 2015, and the Orissa Police Bill 2015, amid a boycott by the opposition Congress.
The Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill will replace the ordinance that the state government had promulgated May 26 as the Assembly was not in session.
The government decided to bring in a strong act in the wake of the Ghangapatna land scam that came to light last year, as well as the series of incidents of encroachment of government land in many parts of the state.
The ordinance had provisions of imprisonment for one year, which may be extended to seven years, besides provision of penalty on offenders.
“As there have been large-scale encroachments and unauthorised occupation of land and the existing law was insufficient to meet the challenge posed by the menace of land grabbing, particularly in urban and urbanisable areas, it was felt necessary to arrest such unlawful activity immediately by enacting a special law in this regard,” revenue minister Bijyashree Routray pointed out in the bill.
The other Bills that were passed were the Orissa Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2015, and the Orissa Municipal Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2015.
The Congress, however, announced a total boycott of the rest of the monsoon session, saying the bill was passed without the required amendments. The BJP also staged a walkout on the issue.
As the bill was taken up for consideration before passing in the post-lunch session, the Congress, which had sought more amendments and wanted more discussion, sat on dharna in the House. However, the bill was passed by majority vote.
“They (treasury bench members) have no respect for opposition. Attempts are being made on a regular basis to suppress the voice of opposition. When the bill was passed, the House was not in order as we had sat on dharna. However, the Speaker allowed proceedings to continue,” said leader of opposition Narasingha Mishra.
BJD spokesperson Samir Das said, “The opposition members boycotted the proceedings as they were not in favour of passing of the land bill, which is aimed at exposing land mafias.”
