570 acre land meant for oustees of Chandaka goes missing in records!

SUSPECTING encroachment of a staggering 570 acre earmarked for rehabilitation of families relocated from Chandaka wildlife sanctuary on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, the forest department has asked Bhubaneswar tehsildar for immediate identification and updation of database of the land patches.

- SUDARSAN MAHARANA @Bhubaneswar

Sources said, the lands do not reflect in the name of their actual owners in Bhulekh portal of the Revenue department and could have been transacted illegally.

Sources in the Wildlife wing said about 569.61 acre land, including 197 acre classified as forest kisam, had been identified in Krushnanagar, Bhuasuni and Tulsadeipur mouzas of Bhubaneswar tehsil for rehabilitation of around 586 families to be relocated from a Gadjit village comprising Dholkath, Naukua, Behentasahi, Pithakhia and Dahangigadia hamlets within Chandaka wildlife sanctuary during 1998. The families included 455 residing in Gadjit villages and 131 encroachers.