JEYPORE: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Sunday accused the Odisha government and the Railways of adopting a discriminatory approach towards land losers in Koraput district affected by the proposed Jeypore-Nabarangpur and Jeypore-Malkangiri rail lines.
Addressing a press conference here, former minister Rabi Narayan Nanda and former Nabarangpur MP Pradeep Kumar Majhi said land acquisition has begun in Koraput, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri districts. However, compensation being paid to affected families in Koraput is far less than that offered in the neighbouring districts, they alleged.
Claiming that landowners in urban areas of Nabarangpur have received compensation of up to ₹5 crore per acre, the BJD leaders alleged that land losers in Jeypore, Borigumma, Kundra and Boipariguda tehsils of Koraput are being offered only ₹1 lakh to ₹1.5 lakh per acre in several cases.
“There cannot be one yardstick for Nabarangpur and another for Koraput. While landowners in Nabarangpur are receiving compensation running into crores, affected families in Koraput are being offered a fraction of that amount. This is nothing but discrimination against Koraput district,” Nanda alleged.
He further claimed that the benchmark valuation of land had not been revised despite a sharp increase in market prices following the development of highways and other infrastructure projects.
“The benchmark land value is supposed to be revised periodically. Instead, officials are relying on outdated valuations and denying land losers their legitimate compensation. The state government must immediately ensure payment in accordance with Railway guidelines and the prevailing market value,” Nanda said.
Majhi asserted that the majority of the affected land losers belong to Scheduled Tribe and Scheduled Caste communities and deserve special protection. “The proposed projects will generate enormous revenue for the Railways in the coming years. Development cannot come at the cost of depriving tribal and other vulnerable communities of their rightful compensation,” he said.
Announcing the party’s next course of action, the former MP said a BJD delegation accompanied by the affected land losers would soon submit a memorandum to the Governor, seeking his intervention. “We will continue our democratic agitation until every displaced family receives fair and just compensation,” Majhi added.