Probe into Cuttack land-grabbing

CUTTACK: Stung by reports of land-grabbing in parts of the city, particularly that of one belonging to the General Electric Division, Cuttack, at Badambadi and Government land near Krushak Bazaar, Cuttack Collector Girish SN on Thursday ordered an inquiry.The Sub-collector, Cuttack sadar, and the Tehsildar have been instructed to verify the land records and documents and submit a report on the status of the lands in question by Friday. Demarcation of the lands is on and action would be initiated on the basis of the reports, the Girish said.However, as the official inquiry commenced, it was revealed that the loss of land was more due to the GED’s own making. Sources said that failure in follow-up measures to document the land in its own name at different times led to selling  patches by original owners.The GED has reported grabbing of land to the tune of 1.97 acre at plot No. 254, 255, 256 of Khata No. 462 under Unit No. 37 at Jagannath Lane, Badambadi. The land was allotted to GED for construction of office building and staff quarters. Part construction had been made on a patch of land over six guntha for  over a decade and had been left. But it was recently discovered that some outsiders were demolishing the existing structures to occupy the land.A police complaint was promptly lodged by the Department. “We have also sought the help of the district Collector and take action against the grabbers,” Executive Engineer, GED II, Cuttack, Jagdish Prasad Swain said. With the official inquiry commencing, it has been revealed that the land was acquired by the government from private persons in 1974. In 1990 when the Settlement was undertaken, the Department failed to get the ‘patta s’ in its name. As a result, the original owners continued selling patches on the basis of their ‘pattas’.The GED subsequently filed a revision case with the Tehsildar but it also did not correct the land documents in the Department’s favour and reasons for this are being examined, sources said.  The land near Krushak Bazaar has, however, prima facie evidence of grabbing. The exact extent of land grabbing will be established after the demarcation is completed by Friday, sources said.