BHUBANESWAR: The P K Mohanty commission on police firing incident at
Kalinga Nagar has blamed the local leaders, political parties and NGOs for instigating the villagers to adopt a path of confrontation against land acquisition for
Kalinga Nagar Integrated Industrial Complex (KNIIC).
In its inquiry report, tabled in the state assembly on Thursday, the commission stated that taking advantage of the volatile situation; some local leaders mobilized, instigated and led the villagers to adopt a path of confrontation instead of peaceful agitation.
The commission, that submitted its report to the state government on July 3, 2015, stated that the peaceful agitations for adequate compensation, rehabilitation, resettlement and employment, which continued till the early part of 2005, was hijacked and converted by the interest groups to agitation for no land acquisition in the KNIIC. The report was accepted on June 8, 2016.
It has, however, not indicted any official of the state government for the incident in which 13 civilians were killed during a protest against land acquisition on January 2, 2006. The incident occurred during protest against construction of the boundary wall of the
Tata Steel plant project.
"It appears that there was considerable delay in providing proper and full-fledged rehabilitation and resettlement and in providing employment or alternative source of income to the affected persons, which caused further apprehension and feeling of insecurity amongst the land losers/displaced persons," it observed.
It also recommended the state government to formulate a beneficial comprehensive scheme for giving benefits to the land losers and displaced persons keeping in view the scheme adopted by
Tata Steel Limited.
It also directed the state government to take appropriate steps to provide suitable employment to one member of each of the deceased family through beneficiary companies. It also recommended additional ex-gratia of at least 1.5 lakh to each of the injured persons, suffering grievous injuries and Rs 50,000 to other injured persons.
In the action taken report, which was also tabled along with the report, the state government said Odisha Resettlement and Rehabilitation Policy was progressive and similar to the scheme adopted by Tata Steel Limited in respect of the displaced persons of Kalinga Nagar.
Regarding employment, it said one member from the families of the deceased persons had been offered employment by the beneficiaries in the KNIIC. It also released additional ex-gratia of Rs 16.50 lakh for the injured.
Rabindra Jaraka, the secretary of the
Bisthapan Birodhi Jana Mancha at Kalinga Nagar termed the report as unfortunate as several of the displaced are yet to get full compensation. The Congress and
BJP also slammed the state government over delay in submitted the report.
