PURI: The relief package for those displaced by the demolition drive announced by the Chief Minister on Monday has evoked mixed reactions. While businessmen who lost their shops have welcomed it, many others are confused over the rehabilitation package. Santosh Sahu, Sushil Patra and Jayram Subudhi, who lost their shops, said they are happy that the Chief Minister considered their plight.
Others who owned houses within the 75-metre radius of Jagannath temple said there is an allocation of just 560 sq ft per family. “What about the person who owned a house over 2,000 sq ft? How can he accept just 560 sq ft?” questioned a local. This apart, the rehabilitation package has no mention of how to identify joint families who stayed under one roof as a family.
Some of the oustees said they are studying the R&R Act, 2013 which the Government follows to work out compensations. Lawyers PK Mishra and Sankarsan Biswal questioned why the Government scaled down benchmark valuation of property in Puri after beginning the demolition drive. Alleging that it was done intentionally to pay less compensation, they said while the package includes displaced businessmen and likely to be displaced families, it has no provision for financial assistance to labourers and workers who eked out living by working in commercial establishments that were or are going to be razed.
Some of them are over 60 years of age who are not going to get an alternative employment opportunity. The lawyers urged the Chief Minister to consider their plight and extend them suitable financial assistance on humanitarian ground.