
PURI: As campaigning reached a crescendo in Puri, a minuscule but powerful section of voters in this abode of Lord Jagannath adopted a novel way to draw the attention of political parties to a common cause, citizen’s ownership over landed property.
As major political parties like BJD and BJP were busy holding road shows and election rallies to reach out to voters, a motley crowd of senior citizens comprising retired State Government officials, lawyers and journalists of the pilgrim town organised street corner meetings to amplify their demand which has been ignored for last 25 years. They were not bothered about their voice being drowned in the cacophony of deafening election campaigning.
Bhu-sampati Surakshya Parishad, an apolitical organisation, has been championing the cause of residents who have lost rights over their landed property despite having all relevant documents including patta (records of right) in their names.
Back in early 1990s, a majority of the households (nearly 80 per cent of the population) were shocked when their rights over land on which they had built houses were snatched away and vested with Sri Jagannath Temple Managing Committee. The State Government, through a circular in 1991-92, instructed Revenue department to record all lands having lineage to Lord Jagannath in favour of the temple managing committee and delete the marfatdar (intermediary) status from land records.
“The decision of the Government took away the ownership right of people of Puri town over the land on which they have been residing since ages,” said Golak Behari Dhal, chairman of publicity committee of the Parishad.
Most of the land in Puri town belonged to different Mutts and people who settled purchased land from the Mutts after obtaining necessary permission from Commissioner of Endowments. However, residents living here since generations together became victims to what they the call “illegal circular” of the Revenue department.
The revenue officers went on correcting the records without giving notice to the present owners. People came to know about the transfer of land in favour of the temple managing committee when restrictions were imposed on transaction of landed or housing property, he added.
This led to a series of litigation with affected parties including Mutts and individuals knocking the doors of various courts before reaching the Supreme Court. A five-member bench of the apex court clearly interpreted the status of the endowment of Lord Jagannath and that of the Mutts. However, the State Government is yet to withdraw the circulars.
“We have been urging the Government to scrap the two by Revenue department circulars issued in 1991 and 1992 but to no avail. We are unable to pledge our land or house to bank or get any permission from Puri Konark Development Authority (PKDA) for construction of houses,” said retired OAS officer Gokulananda Samal of Madhuban Sahi.
Following repeated agitation by residents of Puri, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had appointed a committee headed by the Chief Secretary in 2006 to examine and address the issue. The committee comprising local MLA and Revenue Minister Maheswar Mohanty, MP Pinaki Mishra and other officials is yet to submit its report, Samal said.
Interestingly, the local MLA being the Revenue Minister and a resident of Puri is also a victim of the Government circular and expresses his helplessness over the matter as the tussle is between the temple administration and Mutts.
The affected residents were outraged when CM distributed pattas to about 6,500 slum dwellers (mostly fishermen) under Jaga Mission in November last year. “We are appalled at the insensitivity of the Government towards a common problem. Distribution of pattas to slum dwellers is an eyewash as they have constructed houses in a regulatory zone which cannot be regularised,” Dhal said.