Balasore: Over 50 tribal families of Gopalpur village under Nilagiri tehsil in this district were in for shock after revenue officials denied them the possession of land issued to them in 2005.
The matter came to fore after a delegation of tribals led by former MLA Chittaranjan Sarangi lodged a complaint at the collector’s grievance cell. Additional district magistrate (ADM) Manmath Kumar Pani heard their complaints and assured them of reissuing land pattas to the landless tribals.
The tribals alleged negligence and indifferent attitude of the revenue officials have left them landless again.
According to sources, over 50 families of Bhaunrabag panchayat were allotted four decimal of land each in Gopalpur revenue village under a government scheme in 2005.
The tribals, most of whom are casual labourers, constructed houses on the land and lived there for 11 years. They even deposited revenue till 2015. However, they were left crestfallen after tehsil officials declined to receive revenue from them.
This has happened due to negligence of revenue officials as there was no mention of their land pattas during consolidation. The villagers apprised Nilagiri tehsildar of the matter, but the latter expressed his inability to help them.
Sarangi said the tehsildar has power to reissue land pattas under Section-34 of the Consolidation Act. But, he declined to help the tribals, he alleged. PNN
