Even after years of being displaced by the Hirakud Dam project, the Bhursan villagers in Jharsuguda district are yet to get demarcated land.
Although the displaced villagers have been given DC permission land by the State Government, but no land identification could be done after Patta given in last two years.
The economic status of these villagers is very miserable, as they maintain their livelihood by fishing from the reservoir. After they gave up their houses, land and everything for the dam project, they had developed their own habitation by cleaning up the forest areas. The main source of their livelihood is agriculture and fishing. Hirakud land Office (HlO) has given them land in the vicinity of the reservoir.
But, unfortunately, till date the land could not be identified for practical use by the beneficiaries. The villagers are wasting a lot of their time and energy by running to Jharsuguda Tehsil office time and again but have failed to get their work done.
Meanwhile, on Monday, hearing grievance, district Collector BB Patnaik has directed Jharsuguda Tehsildar Bhabesh Nayak to take immediate action for identification of the land.