SAMBALPUR: A wave of joy and fulfilment swept over the families displaced by the Hirakud Dam project as over 200 beneficiaries finally received land pattas after six long decads, in a special programme held at Kurla village in Rengali block on Thursday.
The Hirakud dam project was inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru on January 13, 1957. However, its oustees were assured 10 decimal homestead lands as compensation by the former BJD government in 2002. Though 20 years passed, the promise remained a distant dream for the hundreds of displaced families.
Recently, during a meeting at Bargarh on June 30, Revenue Minister, Suresh Puajri had announced that Hirakud Dam displaced will be given land patta at the earliest.
On the day, 168 beneficiaries from Kurla village and 53 from Thuti Katarbaga village received pattas for 10 decimals of homestead land each from Pujari who assured that more land pattas would be distributed in upcoming phases.
Addressing the public, Pujari recalled the challenges faced by the displaced families when the dam was constructed, noting that many were separated and relocated to various areas, including Ambabhona, Lakhanpur, and Sareipali in Chhattisgarh. He expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi for advocating for the rights of the displaced families, ensuring that legal heirs, regardless of generation, would receive 10 decimals of land.
“We are committed to providing land pattas to all displaced families within five years. This initiative will extend to other affected districts, including Bargarh,” Pujari asserted.
He also emphasised that the government aims to provide land ownership to every landless person in Odisha, including the poor and tribals living on forest land without pattas. He further promised that all below-poverty-line people in Odisha would receive four decimals of land, and those eligible would also benefit from housing under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), along with access to toilets, electricity, and tap water through various government schemes.
Pujari assured the residents, “I will visit my area every weekend to attend programmes, listen to grievances, and prioritise the distribution of land pattas.”
Reportedly, at least 26,501 families were affected due to the construction of the dam and as many as 16,934 applications for homestead land were submitted by the displaced families, including 10,465 in Jharsuguda district, 2,719 in Sambalpur district, 3,100 in Sundargarh district and 650 applications in Bargarh district.