BY PRADEEP KUMAR SUBUDHI
Bhubaneswar, January 4: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has assured to resolve the protracted Ekharjat Mahal land dispute affecting the Jatni area, Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi informed.
Sarangi, along with Jatani BJP leader Biswaranjan Badajena, Sudipta Ray, and other local leaders, met with the Chief Minister at the Odisha Secretariat on Friday to discuss the long-standing issue. Following the meeting, Sarangi told the media that the Chief Minister listened attentively to their concerns and assured them that the matter would be addressed.
Sarangi highlighted that the Ekharjat Mahal comprises 156 villages under the erstwhileTapanga Pragana. During the last land settlement camp in the year 2012, the rights of tenants from 120 villages were recorded. However, the remaining 36 villages were left out, and their land was erroneously recorded under the name of the Shree Jagannath Temple Managing Committee, Puri. She termed this a "blunder" by revenue officials rather than a mere mistake.
Badajena expressed frustration, stating, "This issue has been pending for over 12 years, depriving more than one lakh people of their rightful land due to the negligent attitude of the previous government. We presented this matter to CM Mohan Majhi, and he assured us that necessary steps would be taken in the tenants' interest."
Historical Context
The Ekharjat Mahal land was vested with the state government on March 18, 1974. Since then, tenants from these villages have been paying land revenue to the state and were recognized as legitimate tenants. However, in 2012, the previous government enacted a controversial decision that stripped the tenants of 36 villages of their rights, granting ownership of the land to the Shree Jagannath Temple instead.
Efforts Under the Previous Government
In 2020-21, the previous BJD government constituted two high-powered committees to address the issue. These committees recommended that the tenants of the 36 villages be treated on par with those of the 120 villages, confirming their rightful claims. Despite these recommendations and inquiries, no concrete action was taken.
Sarangi further clarified that the land in question does not fall under the category of "Amrutmahani" land belonging to the Shree Jagannath Temple. Instead, it was land originally allocated to the Raja of Khurda by the British government in 1863. The Raja collected land revenue from tenants until 1974 when the state government assumed control.
Path Forward
Sarangi expressed confidence that CM Mohan Charan Majhi's leadership would bring justice to the tenants of the 36 villages, restoring their rightful land ownership. "The Record of Rights must be updated to reflect the legitimate claims of these tenants," she stated, emphasizing the need for prompt and fair action.
The assurance from CM Majhi marks a critical step toward resolving this decades-old dispute, offering hope to the affected residents of Jatani.
