Amidst tight security, the Orissa government on Tuesday began land acquisition process for the proposed Rs 52,000-crore Posco project near Kujanga in Jagatsinghpur district, even as empowered Central committee dubbed the exercise “illegal.”
The district administration for the first time succeeded in its attempt to convince two local residents to part with their land and receive compensation cheques.
Rohit Behera and Basant Behera of Bhuyanpal village — received Rs 1.15 lakh each for their land of over ten decimal area used for cultivation of betel vine. “The district administration has begun acquiring government land in possession of individuals in Gada Kujang Panchayat area after proper verification. Two people received financial compensation,” additional district magistrate Mr Saroj Choudhury told this newspaper.
At least four platoons of police forces were deployed in the region for smooth acquisition of the land.
The ADM said at least 80 personnel from the Jagatsinghpur district administration and Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IIDCO) were engaged for the land verification work conducted with the help of Global Positioning System (GPS).
Meanwhile, the Central committee appointed by the Union ministry of environment and forest (MoEF) to study the ground realities at the project site expressed its concern over the land acquisition process initiated by the state government without finalising the land records of the local inhabitants.
“During our trip to the Posco project site on July 23, we found that many people — though they do not belong to scheduled caste and scheduled tribe — have been living in the area since long and they deserve to get land holding rights under the Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. Many of them records they got from the erstwhile Burdwan Estate in support of the lands currently under the possession. Land acquisition for any purpose without settling their claim is not illegal,” said Mr Ashis Kothari, who led a three-member team to the area.
After settlement of land records, said Mr Kothari, the consent of local palli sabhas must be secured for transfer of lands.
“Under section 7 of the Forest Right Act, 2006, the officials involved in land acquisition at this stage are liable to be punished,” said Mr Kothari.