Congress members alleged in the Chhattisgarh Assembly on Wednesday that land allotted to ‘patta’ holders in Dongargaon in Rajanandgaon district was sold to a Raipur-based businessman without permission of the District Collector. They alleged that granite mining is being done on the land and demanded a probe into the matter.
Revenue Minister Prem Prakash Pandey said that the registry of land purchased without permission is being cancelled and the Government will take strict action, if any land is purchased either forcibly or through fraudulent means. Congress member Daleshwar Sahu raised the issue during the question hour and asked about geographical status of the land.
Pandey replied that Kodo crop was cultivated on the said land from 2009 to 2014. Sahu informed the House that the land for which patta was allotted to the poor people is a jungle with rocky terrain. The land was purchased by a Raipur-based businessman who has started granite mining on the land. He assured that the process of cancellation of registry is going on and anyone who has purchased Government land either forcibly or fraudulently will be punished.
Congress member Satyanarayan Sharma asked the Minister about the amount of granite mining done so far and if any royalty has been paid to the Government. Pandey said that the matter will be investigated and action will be taken as per rules. Congress member Dhanendra Sahu alleged that the land given to poor people across the State have been sold without permission of the collectors. Will the Government carry out a drive at Tehsil level to detect such cases, he asked. Pandey said that if any complaint is received it will be investigated and action will be taken.