Following ongoing Heritage Corridor in Puri, the seven landoustee families living near the Jagannath Temple are uncertain about building their new houses on plots provided to them near Gadadhar School under RR policy from the district administration.
In an auspicious moment though most of them laid foundation stones for new houses there, but their happiness soon disappeared after knowing of court cases pending on the new plot. Before vacating their old houses near the Jagannath Temple, the families are now on a crossroad whether to start construction on a disputed plot or shift to rented house. Sources said, a servitor family of Marnikarnika Sahi in the city has claimed the land of being an ancestral property. Soon after the administration acquired the land, the family moved the Orissa High Court for stay. However after stay order was revoked, the administration allotted plots of 1,000 sq-ft each to seven families from a total of 850 decimal. Sources said the administration brought the land under its control on the basis municipal lease property. The problem for the seven families now is, after laying foundation stones on the new plots, they fear to start construction as cases are sub-jurdice. During allotment, they were fully unaware of cases pending on the plots. Otherwise they would have refused to accept theplot, said a member. “We thanked the administration for keeping commitment in allotting plots at a prime location. I was quick to build my house as I have to vacate my old home near Jaganath Temple,” said a land beneficiary. He told that he was quite unaware of cases, which have now caused a problem to proceed in construction. "How can I spend money on a disouted land, he questioned.
The servitor family claiming to have purchased from a private person in 1945 showed sale deed and many support documents with up-to-date tax clearance in municipality and revenue office. The family alleged that the administration has forcibly acquired their forefathers’ property with a mala-fide intent.