Tikchan Majhi, a tribal of Birighat village in Nuapada district became speechless, when he heard that the 2.34 acres of land which was under his possession for six decades has been distributed to 39 homesteadless households of his village in 2002. In the morning of 27th Dec 2009, the Revenue Inspector came to the village and started land demarcation to identify the plots distributed to homestead households. Tikchan got lost when the measuring chain of the RI covered all length and breadth of the lands he is cultivating. In the process it was found that the whole plots cultivated by Tikchan have been distributed to the homesteadless households.The RI asked Tikchan to vacate the plots.
Tikchan and his two brothers have inherited this land from their forefathers who had cleared the forest during early 50s and made that cultivable and fertile. Tikchan and his brothers have toiled hard to make the land more productive because this is the only source of income for their families with 12 members.
“I have obtained the lease patta of this land just a few years before the last settlement. I do not understand how it would be given to others when I have the lease documents.” Said Tikchan.
Records of Right of last settlements show that the land has been under Jabar Dakhal
(encroachment) of Tikchan and his ancestors. On the basis of this a lease patta has also been allotted to Tikchan. But unfortunately the same land has been recorded again as “Basti Yogya” (suitable for homestead) during last settlement and redistributed to the homesteadless households.
“My joy knew no bound when I was allotted a lease patta for the 2.34 acres land by the Tahasildar, Khariar just before the last settlement. I forgot that this cost me an expenditure of more than 17 thousand rupees. Now I do not understand why I was made landless again.” Said Tikchan.
Four decimal of land has been allotted to each of the 39 households from the 2.34 acres. But it is interesting that no one of them is interested to take that in to possession even after the demarcation and identification of the plots. “We do not want to make Tikchan landless.” Says Chhelia Majhi a homesteadless person of the same village who has been allotted a 4 decimal plot in the land of Tikchan. All other homesteadless express the same sentiment. “We are homesteadless no doubt, but we can not avail the lands at the cost of a poor man” they express.
It shows that the villagers are more sensible than the administration. This is the reason why this matter has not led to any conflict between them.
What is more peculiar is that, the land allotted to the people is on the bank of river Sundar and is flooded every year during the heavy rains. “We can not construct houses in that allotted land to face the wrath of nature” adds Anta Parabhoi – a beneficiary.
Tikchan has hired an advocate to fight his case in the court. He has already paid more than 7 thousand rupees for this but is uncertain because the court has not yet started any hearing. The cost of court case has now created a loan burden on Tikchan.
The Tahasildar, Khariar had asked Tikchan to obtain a stay from the court. “The Tahasildar has given me one month of time to obtain the stay but how can I do that? Asks Tikchan.
The Tahasildar on the contrary has expressed his helplessness. “I have to follow the rules. Tikchan must vacate the lands for the benefit of beneficiaries. There is no more suitable homestead land in the village to be allotted” he said.
This is not the only case of irony in Nuapada district. There are thousands of such cases where the homesteadless have been allotted lands decades back but the actual possession has not been given.
Dukhi Bhoi, Anta Bhoi and many other homesteadless families of this village are staying in the varanda of other households for years together. They have kept the pattas very carefully with the hope that a suitable plot will be allotted to them one day.
“I was allotted the Patta more than 7 years ago. I had requested the RI and the Tahasildar to identify the land but no one has paid a heed to my request.” Said Dukhi Bhoi.
In Dabri village of Khariar block 62 homesteadless households were allotted patta in the year 2003. The land was demarcated in May 2010 and it was found that the lands allotted are located on inaccessible hill slopes.
“We want to relocate the people of Dabri by canceling the present lease but unfortunately there is no more homestead land available in this village too.” Says Susanta Mishra. the Tahasildar of Khariar.
Land distribution programme in Nuapada district has not been implemented properly, which has made the physical possession impossible for the poor section of the society. In Ranimunda village such mindless distribution has led to conflict and court cases. Hiradhar Mangraj of
this village was allotted 0.97 acres of land in 1989 in 4 different places. He has not been allowed to enter the plots by the people who are cultivating these lands for long years.
“When I went to the plots to repair the embankment, Ganesh Hati who is cultivating the same plot came with an axe and threatened me to murder” said Hiradhar. Haridash filed a case with the Police. Ganesh agreed before the police to vacate the land but latter on shown another piece of barren government land. With hard labour Hiradhar converted that land in to a low land yielding 2 begs of paddy during Kharif. But he has not able to obtain the record of right.
“More than 50% of the beneficiaries of the land distribution programmes have not taken the lands in to their possession although they are continuously paying taxes.” Says Ajit Panda – a social Activist who had conducted a study on land distribution programmes in two Panchayats of Khariar block. According to this study only 41 percent of the allottees are in clear possession.
The district administration in Nuapada has allotted more than 20 thousand acres of lands to 36000 beneficiaries since independence. But the ground realities reveals that a large chunk of the beneficiaries are still struggling to have the actual possession.
“Land allotment to the landless has become a populist programme of the government to gain popularity. Achieving target may bring the change in numbers in pen and papers, but what is needed is a strong land reform for a real structural change in the land relationship.” Says Fanindam Deo – a researcher and the Principal of Khariar College.
