Odisha govt takes possession of land belonging to chit funds

Odisha government has taken into possession over 12 acres of land in Ganjam district belonging to two chit fund organisations allegedly involved in irregularities, officials said today.

While 8.070 acres of land of one group at Sindurapali was attached and taken into possession by the government, around 4.100 acre of land of another group located at Gadagadapalli (2.200 acres) and Govindapur (1.901 acres) in the same tehsil was acquired by the local tehsildar on Friday, the officials said.

“We have attached and taken into possession the lands of these chit fund groups on the direction of the additional district magistrate (ADM), Cuttack,” said Tehsiladar of Chhatrapur, S K Sahu. The government has initiated the action under Orissa Protection of Interest of Depositors Act -2011, he said.

The ADM Cuttack had directed the tehsildar, Chhatrapur to take possession of over 46-acres of land belonging to three organisations. “The process has already started to acquire the other land belonging to these companies. The acquisition is likely to take place very soon,” he said.

The tehsildar has already issued notice to villagers and concerned panchayat advising not to buy or sell these lands as the government is going to take possession these. These lands included Sindurapalli (10.945-acres) and Laxmipur (22.392 acres) of one group and Kanabana (2.101-acres) of another group, sources said. After taking the land into possession ADM, Cuttack has directed steps to guard the land.

“We have put up red flags on the acquired land for identification. The local people are also advised not to try to buy or acquire the lands,” said inspector in-charge of Chamakhandi police station Ashok Kumar Parida. The police would keep a vigil, he said.