Bhubaneswar, Dec 31: In a startling development, a total of 570 acres of land designated for the rehabilitation of families displaced by the Chandaka Wildlife Sanctuary has mysteriously vanished from official records.
These land parcels, located in the areas of Krushnanagar, Bhuasuni, and Tulsadeipur mouzas within Bhubaneswar tehsil, are no longer listed under their rightful owners on the Bhulekh portal, sparking suspicions of illegal transactions.
The Forest Department has expressed concern over possible encroachment by land mafias, particularly given the high real estate value of the region, which could be worth several hundred crores. Between 1998 and 2013, 220.85 acres were successfully distributed to 137 families under a rehabilitation scheme. However, the remaining 349 acres are unaccounted for in government records.
Authorities have instructed Tehsildar officials to reassess and re-identify the land parcels, with a focus on reclaiming any encroached properties for redistribution to displaced families as part of the state’s revised rehabilitation program.
