Collector vehicle held up for MCL neglect

Villagers detained the vehicle of district Collector Bibhuti Bhusan Patnaik for around 30 minutes at Chharla Displaced Colony here on Saturday in protest against the neglect of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) towards their problems.

JHARSUGUDA:Villagers detained the vehicle of district Collector Bibhuti Bhusan Patnaik for around 30 minutes at Chharla Displaced Colony here on Saturday in protest against the neglect of Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) towards their problems.

Sources said the Collector along with other district officials had gone to the colony to attend a programme organised by Lakhanpur Area management to distribute 10 decimal land to each person displaced due to Lakhanpur, BOCM and Lilari Open Cast Nines under Lakhanpur Area of MCL.
At the event, land pattas were distributed to 102 persons of Ubuda, Tingismal, Khairkuni, Banipalli, Darlipali and Chharla villages.

However, the villagers got enraged after finding that the records given to them are agricultural land. They raised objection and complained before the Collector at the meeting that the MCL management lacked sincerity in solving their problems.

Patnaik, however, explained to them that the records will soon be converted to homestead ones on deposit of tax by the MCL management. He further assured the villagers that basic amenities like drinking water, electricity and roads will be provided by the MCL. Sub-Collector Ajay Jena also gave gave assurance to urge MCL management to solve their basic problems in a time-bound manner. Later, the displaced persons allowed the vehicle to pass.

Among others, ADM Sitaram Patel, Lakhanpur Tehsildar Hemsagar Bhoi, Brajrajnagar SDPO NC Dandasena and Lakhanpur Area General Manager RP Gupta were present.

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