Another Land-Grabbing Charge Against OTV

Bhubaneswar: With three cases already registered against the Odisha Television Ltd (OTV) for alleged possession of private lands belonging to Scheduled Caste persons in Sarua village under Begunia tehsil in Khurda district, the company is charged with another land-grabbing case in the Chandaka Industrial Estate here.

Notably, a joint verification of the IDCO land in the Chandaka Industrial Estate was carried out by the IDCO Land Officer, the officials of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and the staffers of Kalarahanga Tehsil office on Tuesday.

During the verification, it was found that the OTV has encroached 12,980 square feet land and constructed its corporate office building. Also, some areas of the building and the Teleport and DG units have been built on the encroached land.

“A report on the encroached land by the OTV will be submitted to the state government and appropriate action will be initiated,” said a senior IDCO official.

It may be mentioned that the IDO had allotted 0.835 acres (3379 square metres) land (Plot no- AN 28/29/30/31) to OTV in the Chandaka Industrial Estate in 2007. However, the company encroached 12,980 sq feet of IDCO and constructed its corporate office building.

Acting on the complaint on the encroachment of land, IDCO had sent a notice to OTV on September 20 this year seeking a clarification. However, the company, in its reply, maintained that there is no encroachment.

Not satisfied with the clarification, the IDCO officials conducted a joint operation and found the allegation as true.