Odisha asks Dhamra port to distribute cash entitlements to land losers

DPCL says it will submit money for 48 persons towards one-time cash settlement in lieu of jobs

The state government has asked Dhamara Port Company Ltd (DPCL) to distribute cash settlements ‘immediately’ among persons who have lost their land due to the port project and were promised a job.

Since there has been considerable delay as the amount was to be disbursed by 2007-08, the government has directed the company to take pro-active steps.

“Necessary action may be taken (for submitting one-time cash settlement money with district collector) immediately under intimation to this department. This may be treated as most urgent,” the office of state commerce and transport recently told the Dhamara port authorities.

DPCL officials said, the company has absorbed 75 land losers as its employees and will pay money to 48 more project affected persons towards one-time cash settlement in lieu of jobs as per the state’s rehabilitation and resettlement policy.

“The money was sanctioned Monday. We hope it will be distributed among them within 15 days through the district collectorate,” said an official of DPCL in Bhadrak dealing with rehabilitation matters.

The compensations are being provided under guidelines of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) Policy, 2007. In September 2012, the district collectorate had fixed that a person, who has lost house and farm land in the area, would be paid Rs 7.48 lakh per hectare towards one-time cash settlements in lieu of job.

Dhaamara port, which commenced commercial operation in 2011, displaced 126 families for the first phase of the project. It has applied for 800 acres additional land for expansion of township and other port operation.

Interestingly, the direction by the government was issued a month-and-half ahead of the municipal polls, which will commence on September 19. Bhadrak Municipality and Basudevpur notified area council (NAC) are among the 91 urban local bodies that will elect members on that day. However, since Dhamara port area does not fall under the jurisdiction of the municipal limits, there is no violation of election code of conduct, officials said.

“We have got green signal from the election commission about money distribution,” said the DPCL official.