As rehab colony work slows down
Hundreds of seaside villagers of Satabhaya area have decided to boycott the coming twin polls if the Bagapatia rehabilitation colony work is not expedited as per the promises of the State Government.
Notably, these villagers have been facing an endemic problem of sea erosion and are required to be shifted to a safer location. The State Government has identified Bagapatia and has started a colony there to relocate these people but inordinate delays in finishing the colony work has put off the shifting of the villagers, worsening their worry. These villagers had held a fast unto death recently in front of the Kendrapada district Collector’s office, pressurising the Government to fast track the rehabilitation work. But later, the colony work which was speeded up for some time, slowed down.
Nalinikanta Biswal, member of Satabhaya Rehabilitation Committee, said keeping in mind the coming elections, the Government had speeded up the rehabilitation work after the Satabhaya people staged fast unto death for eight days in front of the district Collector’s office.
The district administration started demarcation of land for resettling 575 families of Satabhaya. Even, about 250 people of Satabhaya also participated in land demarcation process. 10 decimal of land was identified to be given to each beneficiary. Additional Chief Secretary Revenue and the Disaster Management Department Tara Datt had visited the area and had taken stock of the rehabilitation colony work and had assured that the shifting of the villagers would be completed very soon. But again, the colony construction work fell to a snail’s pace.
The villagers were yet to get the land records (patta). So, they are now losing hopes, he maintained.
When contacted, district Collector Ratnakar Rout stated that he was yet to be informed about the decision of the Satabhaya villagers to boycott polls. It seems some people might be instigating them to create confusion, he said, adding that the district administration was very serious about completing the Satabhaya rehabilitation project and had been taking every possible step to speed up the project work.