BARGARH: High drama unfolded on the premises of Bargarh collectorate on Wednesday when a 60-year-old woman threatened to immolate herself over alleged administrative inaction in a land dispute case.
The woman, Shubhasini Das of Chadeigaon village under Bhatli block, arrived in the collector’s office holding a bottle of kerosene and accused officials of ignoring her repeated complaints. She claimed that despite several appeals, no steps were taken to resolve her grievance.
Das owns a patch of land in her village which reportedly lacks a proper approach road. She alleged that a commercial establishment under construction on an adjoining plot had encroached upon a portion of her land. Though Das had lodged a complaint around three months ago, she said no action followed.
“I live alone while my children work outside. For the past three months, I have been running from pillar to post to get access to my land and a connecting road. Although a road has been allotted, it is unsuitable for my plot. The local revenue inspector (RI) and tehsildar keep summoning me to their office but never resolve the issue,” she alleged.
Das further said while the state government claims to offer hassle-free services and ensure women’s dignity, the ground reality is different in Bargarh. “I haven’t been able to meet the collector. If my problem remains unresolved, I will attempt self-immolation again,” she threatened.
The protest caused chaos in front of the collector’s office for nearly half an hour before Bargarh Town police intervened and persuaded Das to withdraw her agitation. She was later escorted away to prevent any untoward incident. Officials said she has been advised to approach the Land Acquisition section for further action.
Bhatli tehsildar Ramkrushna Mishra said the land in question is a joint (Ejamali) property, which is why the demarcation process is taking time. An approach road has already been provided, and further inquiry is underway by the RI.
“I have spoken to the BDO and RI and instructed them to demarcate the land to verify the alleged encroachment. However, in cases of Ejamali land, the process usually takes longer as multiple owners are involved and verification of land records is crucial,” Mishra added.
