The proud owner of a portion of the much-discussed 100 acres of encroached land in the Ghangapatna area on the city outskirts is none other than Pranab Balabantaray, Dharmasala MlA and son of Rajya Sabha member and BJD vice-president Kalpataru Das, according to reports.
The Revenue Department has already issued patta for five acres out of the 100 acres encroached land. While patta has been issued for two acres in Balabantaray’s name, the Gokarneswar Charitable Trust controlled by him has got patta for three acres.
It may be noted here that the CAG, in its report presented in the Budget Session of the 15th State Assembly, had accused the Trust of committing a series of deceitful activities.
What is surprising is that the whole mutation process was carried out in a short span of three years while its usual minimum disposal period is 10 years. Curiously, the Dharmasala MlA had made no mention of these two acres of land in his affidavit filed with the Election Commission of India at the time filing nomination during the last election.
However, Balabantaray now says that the land belongs to the Trust and the Record of Rights has been made in his name “by mistake”. “Since I was not aware of this, I had not mentioned this in the affidavit,” Balabantaray said.
But the MlA has admitted that he has constructed boundaries around the two acres of land registered in his name and dug a tube well on the plot.
Stating that the under-construction road does not pass through his land, the Dharmasala MlA said he does not know which department has been entrusted with the work.
Meanwhile, Panchayati Raj Minister Arun Sahu said the State Government had sanctioned Rs 5 lakh for construction of the road in the area but the amount has remained unspent due to disputes with the villagers on the course of the road.
People of Ghangapatna village have alleged that though they had, in 2008, apprised Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik about encroachment of nearly 40 acres forest land and 135 acres of hilly land by a group of influential leaders, the latter remained silent instead of taking action.