Odisha Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management, Suresh Pujari, has stated in the state Assembly that the illegal occupation of tribal lands will not be tolerated.
In response to BJP legislator Bhaskar Madhei’s query, Minister Pujari affirmed that legal action would be pursued against any influential non-tribal found to have unlawfully occupied ST/SC land. He assured that such lands would be restored to their rightful tribal owners following eviction.
The Minister revealed that the government is currently reviewing 654 cases of such illegal occupation and will proceed with actions post-inquiry. He further declared that any transactions involving SC/ST land that contravene the Land Reform Act of 1960 are deemed illegal, with 881 cases presently under government scrutiny for resolution and eviction.
Additionally, Minister Pujari highlighted that encroachment by non-tribals on tribal land within Scheduled areas is illegal, with a staggering 19,690 cases awaiting consideration. He also noted that Deputy Collectors have been empowered to conduct thorough investigations into illegal land occupations by non-tribals from 1956 to 2000, with the authority to annul illegal land transfers and return the property to its original tribal owners.
