While the Odisha government patted its own back after providing lands to the tribals in Cuttack’s Tangi-Choudwar block, the ordeal for the 150 odd tribal families in Godadhua village under Karanji Panchayat seems to be far from over.
As per reports, around 150 tribal families who live in this village surrounded by mountainous forests have settled on forest land for generations. But despite paying taxes every year, they don't know which land belongs to them.
In 1999, the government gave 4 decimals of land on lease to each tribal family living there. But they alleged that the officials never demarcated the land and hence, they do not know where the exact land is. And despite running from pillar to post, the authorities have allegedly turned a deaf ear to them.
“There are no marks on any land here. We have made the lands where we have been staying for generations, ours. From RI to Tehsildar, we have urged them all many times to identify our lands, but in vain,” said Ganesh Samal.
Prior to that, two acres of land were also reportedly given to the tribals for cultivation in 1972. The villagers, however, alleged that the government never identified their farmland. As a result, the families are cultivating on land wherever they find it.
On the other hand, this confusion has been noticed by some unscrupulous people. Some brokers are allegedly trying to take over the vacant forest land.
The villagers have threatened to boycott the upcoming elections if land records are not identified immediately.
Meanwhile, the Tehsildar of Tangi-Choudwar said that appropriate steps will be taken after discussions with the villagers.