JAGATSINGHPUR: Non-issuance of caste, income and residential certificates despite allotment of land patta for more than two years has triggered resentment among students of tribal communities in Jagatsinghpur municipality.
Led by president of Dalit Bikash Parishad Sankar Das, the students staged a sit-in dharna in front of the tehsil office on Thursday, alleging that the tehsildar is not providing the documents which is depriving them of many benefits. This has also prevented them from getting admission in higher education courses or applying for jobs, the agitators said.
Sources said, in 2019, the administration had given land patta to nearly 215 homeless tribal families in the municipality under Odisha Land Rights to Slum Dwellers Act. These families were residing in Markandpur village of ward no 2, College Chowk area under ward no 10 and Charchika bazar under ward no 19.
While they were able to avail facilities like ration card and inclusion of names in voters’ list, other provisions like issue of caste, income and residential certificates besides other necessary documents are yet to be issued by Jagatsinghpur tehsildar even after nearly three years.
Sources said, tehsil staff kept giving pleas that the certificates cannot be issued unless the government clarifies the provision of the Act under which they were accorded record of rights. The stir was called off after Jagatsinghpur tehsildar Anjali Tarai pacified the agitators and assured issue of documents in a months’ time after clarification from the State government.