The State Chapter of the Campaign for Survival and Dignity (CSD) alleged illegal collection of encroachment fine by State Revenue and Disaster Management Department(RDM) Department over forest land recognised under FRA in the State.

Referring to a case of such violation in Dhenkanal district, CSD asserted that this might be happening in other districts too and has asked the FRA State level Monitoring Committee (SlMC) to investigate and monitor such illegality across the State.

Sharing the case with the FRA Sub-Divisional Committee (SDlC), District level Committee (DlC), SlMC and media, CSD asserted that illegal encroachment fine have been collected from individual forest rights title holders of revenue village Sunia in Kankadahad block.

“This is the case of a revenue village Sunia in Kankadahada where in Phaguram Murmu, son of late Singrai Murmu, was issued Individual Forest Rights(IFR) title on September 5, 2009 over 1.09 acres of land having Khata No.1, Plot No-163, Kissam-Sarad-2under FRA, 2006. While Phaguram has got IFR titles over Plot No. 163 having 1.09 acres, his younger brother Kandra Murmu has got IFR title over Plot No. 6(0.63 acre) and 69(0.41acre) of forest land.

However, the local Tehsildar has filed an encroachment case No.330/15 against him and has illegally collected `212 on December 4, 2015 against three plots (Plot No.163, 6 and 69) recognised under FRA in 2009.

CSD has contended that “since the date of 1st publication of the RoR (last survey & settlement) of revenue village Sunia was done on 30th March 1982 after the 25th Oct, 1980s, it is legally forest land and correctly recognised under FRA, 2006.”

Pointing out such violations earlier in other districts too, the CSD said, “We noticed same illegality done by the Revenue Department in Deogarh and Gajapati districts earlier where encroachment fines were collected from the IFR claimants when their claims over same land were pending at the SDlC and even IFR titles were issued over claimed land in 2009-10 violating FRA.”