: There are seven RI Circles under Talcher Tehsil. MCL has acquired land in 16 panchayats from seven RI Circles while coal extraction is continuing from nine mines. Consequently, since land is scarce, its price has sky-rocketed in Talcher.
Taking advantage of the situation, some unscrupulous employees of the Tehsil office and land brokers have started minting money by dishonest land deals. Hundreds of acres of Debattoor, ceiling, NHI, PWD, canal, forest and Government land are sold thanks to a nexus between the Tehsil staff and brokers.
It is rumoured that a handful of unscrupulous employees of Talcher Tehsil and a data entry operator who have been in the place for 19 years are in connivance with land brokers. It is worth mentioning here that at present 16 to 17 panchayats from Talcher tehsil have been acquired by MCL but the land in these panchayats is being sold.
It is alleged that the displaced families are being targeted as they are in a hurry to buy land to settle down and have money to pay instantly out of the compensation they received in lieu of displacement.