PARADIP: Even as the land dispute between Paradip Port Trust and State Government has delayed implementation of the Odisha Land Rights for Slum Dwellers Act 2017 and deprived thousands of people of housing benefits, the district administration has stepped up efforts to resolve the issue.
Jagatsinghpur Collector Sangram Keshari Mohapatra after a meeting with Paradip Municipality and Paradip Port Trust (PPT) officials has formed a committee to expedite disbursement of identity cards to slum dwellers in the town.
As many as 14,625 people reside in 55 slums under Paradip Municipality. Around 12,162 slum dwellers were supposed to get identity cards on the birth anniversary of former CM of Odisha Biju Patnaik on March 5.
But they had to return empty-handed. President, Paradip Basti Mahasangh Biswanath Bal said local leaders and officials have been apathetic towards the plight of slum dwellers due to which none of them have yet received land or identity cards.
Sources said PPT is yet to settle land records of slums in the town, which has delayed implementation of the Act.
As per an order of the Orissa High Court in 2015, it was decided to transfer or alienate 4,356.03 acre land in Sandhakud, 1,477.38 acre in Bhitaragarh, 57.73 acre in Bijayachandrapur and 394.40 acre in Nuasandhakud without any lease in favour of PPT.
Similarly, 1,237-acre land, acquired by PPT, was identified as vacant or unused. It was decided to hand over the land to the State Government for implementation of projects. But no step has yet been initiated to execute the court order.
The ongoing dispute over ownership of land has made matters worse as both PPT and the Municipality have been claiming the land.
The civic body has completed survey of all slums in the town using drone cameras to prepare geo-spatial data and map for land records management and identification of slum dwellers.
Executive Officer, Paradip Municipality Dilip Kumar Mohanty said the civic body has taken steps for rehabilitation of slum dwellers by identifying land in Kansaripatana near Sandhkuda.
He said efforts are on to transfer the land to the beneficiaries.