A vast patch of land worth over four crores of rupees, owned by the Paradip Port Trust (PPT), has gone missing from its records. Though the officials admit the fact, they are not ready to fix the responsibility apprehending action.
Besides, over 20 acres of PPT land having high market value has been under illegal possession of a person. The matter came to light after a Right to Information Act (RTI) application seeking details of PPT land in Jajpur district was filed.
In response to the RTI application filed by one Sarbeswar Behura, Public Information Officer (PIO) of PPT said according to the records available with the PPT, 217.54 acres of land was acquired by the PPT at Brahmapur Sasan, Saroi, Haridaspur, Aruha and Kolha villages in the then undivided Cuttack district, now in Jajpur, in early 1960s during the construction of the State owned port on Bay of Bengal at Paradip. The entire land was acquired to build a camp office and hoard machineries, building and other materials to be used for the port.
As there was no road link to Paradip directly, the construction materials were transported to Paradip from camp office through high level canal. After the commission of the port, over 183 out of 217.54 acres of land was returned to the then Cuttack Collector in 1985. Remaining 34.46 acres of land was with the PPT out of which 20.4 acres are under illegal possession of Sribas Jena of Saroi village.
The rest 14.42 acres have gone ‘missing’, the PPT official said in response to RTI application. The Public Information Officer of PPT AK Samal mentioned in the RTI reply that record of 14.42 out of 34.36 acres of land was not available with them.
Though the authorities have identified the encroacher, they have failed to retrieve the land from him.