The landlosers have been running from pillar to post for the last seven years for compensation for their land acquired by Idco in Gudigaon mouza under Kolabira Tahsil in Jharsuguda district for industrial purpose.
The district Collector, realising the gravity of the case, has given ultimatum in his letter no.140 dated June 30 to the Chief Managing Director (CMD) of Idco expressing serious concern in the matter as compensation amount of Rs 23 crore has not been paid to the land owners.
The land owners are also quite enraged over discrimination in payment of compensation to them for which they have almost decided not to give up their land for such purpose in future.
During 2006, the land acquisition process for 405.15 acre land had started in Gudigaon village under a notification by the Revenue and Disaster Management Department under Section 4(1) of land Acquisition Act 2009. Different rates were fixed then for different types of land.
Accordingly, Rs 12,88,89, 532 was deposited by the Idco with the Special land Acquisition Department. Subsequently in 2014, on revaluation, the price was modified for the land. The compensation amount was also accordingly calculated to be Rs 46,89,9,494. It was directed to deposit the amount with the Special land Acquisition Department. But, out of this amount, only Rs 19,10,70,032 has been paid to the land owners. Till date, more than Rs 23 crore is outstanding for payment to the beneficiaries.
On the other hand, land owners like Manoj Patel, Indira Patel, Romanch Patel and others have raised questions about fixing low price per acre of land compared to the price given by the Railways for construction of rail track and other projects in the area.
Treating the demands of the land owners as genuine, district Collector Bibhuti Bhusan Patnaik said that the district administration will be compelled to return the land to the owners, in case the compensation amount is not paid to them within time limit.