State- sponsored Illegal Forest Land Conversion by KISS, Bhubaneswar

State- sponsored Illegal Forest Land Conversion by Kalinga Institute of Social Science in Bhubaneswar, exposed through RTI

RTI Application was submitted to the PIO, Dept. of Forest and Environment, Govt. of Odisha seeking information about details of forest land illegally occupied by KISS, Bhubaneswar and steps taken by the Govt. to retain the land from encroachers, i.e, Dr. Achyut Samant. It is needless to mention that many senior citizens including some residents of Patia area have filed series of complaints to different State Authorities like Governor, Odisha, Chief Secretary, Collector, Khurda seeking an enquiry into illegal conversion of forest Kissam land in Mouza- Patharagadia and Patia under Bhubaneswar Tahasil of Khurda district.

In response to RTI query, the PIO has   supplied the enquiry report of Tahasildar, Bhubaneswar along with the report of DFO & Wildlife Warden, Chandaka.  The report revealed  that Kalinga   Institute of  Social Science, a sister organisation  of Kalinga Relief  and Charitable Trust represented through  the Managing trustee Achyut Samant S/O- Anadi Samant has encroached  forest land in village –Patharagadia in violation of the provisions of Forest Conservation Act, 1980.

 Details of Land Schedule 

Mouza	Khata	Plot	Area	Kisam	Present land used
Patharagadia	420 ( Anabadi)	541(P)	10.000	Chhota Jungle	Play ground & Homestead
		647	4.000	Chhota Jungle	Gardening and cultivation
		893	4.100	Chhota Jungle	DO
		Total	18.100

 The said plot has been recorded as chote Jungle in the record of Rights.  The definition of forest has been clearly defined by hon’ble Supreme Court in the order dated 12.12.96 passed in WP (C)  no 202/95 in the matter of T.N. Godavarman Thirmulkpad  -Vrs- Union of India & others, as mentioned in the report of TahasildarIt was also found that  the KISS  has not taken any  Forest clearance from Ministry  of Environment and Forest ( MOEF) as per the Sec 2 of Forest Conservation Act 1980 . 

The issue has been raised by the hon’ble members of the Odisha Legislative Assembly in the year 2011 and again in the year 2016. In response to the question, the ruling government has responded that a Land Encroachment case  bearing nos 640/11 and 640/11 have been filed against  Managing Trustee of KISS, Mr. Achyut Samant S/0 Anadi Samant by the Office of Tahasildar, Bhubaneswar under the Orissa Prevention of Land Encroachment Act . This has been the standard response of the Ruling Government of Odisha. However no further action has been taken against the KISS for unauthorised occupation.   

Pradip Pradhan, M-9937843482

Date- 20.5.16