Biramitrpur Independent MlA George Tirkey on Tuesday alleged that due the nexus between Government officials, police, land mafia and corporate agents, many innocent tribals are losing their residential and agriculture lands in Sundargarh district.
Tirkey told reporters that as Sundargarh is a Scheduled district, the tribals’ land cannot be transferred. But Government officials in connivance with land mafia are handing over the tribals’ land to various corporate houses changing its nature. As a result, the tribals are the worst sufferer. He threatened that if the practice is not stopped then in coming days, bloodshed would occur in the district.
Citing an example of Chikatmati panchayat of Sananuagaon revenue village under lathikata block, Tirkey said then Tehsildar of lathikata on November 11, 2011 handed over 16.5 acres of Gochar land and 2.08 acres of Scheduled land to the Idco changing the nature of the land. Subsequently, the Idco transferred 4.54 acres of land to the Veritas Corporation.
local residents opposed it. However, the company constructed its compound wall over the land in the presence of armed police. When the tribals urged the police to help them, the police threatened them of bad consequence if they opposed the compound wall construction. Having no other way, the tribals have demolished the compound wall a couple of weeks ago.
The police immediately arrested ten tribals while another ten were arrested on Tuesday, Tirkey said.
If police do not release the trribals immediately, the latter would stage a ‘Jail Bharo’ agitation on Thursday at Chikatmati along with their domestic animals which are also deprived of their grazing fields.
The police “excesses” against the tribals would also provoke them to join Maoists camp, Tirkey warned.