Puri landowners trying to wriggle out of scam

PURI: The court here is abuzz with activity  with the other landowners of 1,563 acres consulting lawyers to wriggle out of the situation following the settlement of 1,306 acres of land in favour of the Government from the clutches of one Gadadhar Puspalak.Though the High Court had been directed to take stern action against the persons involved in the scam eight years back, no action has been taken against anybody so far. In August 2005, the CBI had also written to the State Vigilance to inquire into the incident and take action but nothing has been done as yet.The Government has denied the reports saying that local administration had already recovered 1,306 acres and steps were being taken to recover the rest.As per the allegations, some unscrupulous officials along with some political leaders transferred 1,879 acres of valuable government land to some land mafias through forged documents. The civil lawyers questioned as to how the government allowed the consolidation operation in an area where the land as per the government records was unfit for cultivation, fallow and infertile. The Consolidation Act envisages that all the cultivable land be consolidated. The then assistant consolidation officer (technical) had raised the issue and the operation was stopped for months by the higher  authorities.Surprisingly, without any order the consolidation operation resumed effectuating the loot of government land, the records reveal. This apart, the fraudulent owners tried to justify their title over the land through civil court proceedings. The residents, meanwhile, are eagerly awaiting the outcome of the rest of the cases involving 1,563 acres in Sipusuraballi, worth over a Rs 1,000 crore.In the Swargadwar land scam, in which an FIR had been filed against Minister Maheswar Mohanty, of the 16 acres of religious endowment belonging to Lord Jagannath the crematorium ground is now left with only 400 decimal while further encroachment and constructions were squeezing the area. The municipality is now laying a 12-foot wide road running across the cremation ground.With the Government tightening the noose around the officials concerned, restoration of the cremation land may happen as early as possible, it is hoped.