PPT-Government Land Row Ends.

The five-decade-long land dispute between the Paradip Port Trust (PPT) and State Government has been finally resolved. The Government has agreed to transfer or alienate 6285.58 acres of land without any lease in favour of the PPT. The area comprises of 4356.03 acres in Sandhakud, Bhitaragarh 1477.38, Bijayachandrapur 57.73 acres and 394.4 acres in Nuasandhakud.

A high-power committee, formed by Orissa High Court, at a meeting held on January 31 this year, had reached an out-of-court settlement to resolve the land row. Last week, the HC disposed of writ petitions of both PPT and Government with a direction to both the parties to adhere to decisions taken during the meeting.

Problems had started when some parts of Municipality land came under the administrative control of the PPT. Government had asked for land within the port limits for construction of an airstrip, State Government offices and institutions, Odisha Maritime Academy, Fisheries Department block and extension of an irrigation canal. PPT had refused to part with land citing provisions of the Major Ports Act and the Public Premises Act, leading to the land-transfer row.

The disagreement dated back to 1966, when PPT was accorded the status of country’s eighth major port under the Major Port Act, 1963.

According to the committee decisions, State Government will retain 597.80 acres in four revenue villages within the port limits, which includes 405.00 acres under occupation of PPL. The remaining land would be transferred or alienated without any lease in favour of PPT.


THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS