Row Over BJD’s ‘Sankha Bhawan’ To Be Probed: Odisha Minister; Conch Party Reacts

Bhubaneswar: Amid allegations of irregularities in the allotment of land for BJD office ‘Sankha Bhawan’ in Bhubaneswar, the Odisha government on Saturday said a thorough investigation will be conducted into the matter.

Responding to queries, Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari told reporters that the allegations of irregularities in land allotment for Biju Janata Dal (BJD) office will be thoroughly probed.

Based on the findings of the probe, appropriate action will be taken, the Minister said, adding that if any wrongdoing is detected, action will be taken against those involved in irregularities in land allotment.

As per information, it has been alleged that conversion of land was made in a clandestine manner before Sankha Bhawan was constructed in a prime location in the heart of Odisha capital. It was claimed that the land meant for road was converted into ‘gharabari’ kisam (category) before the BJD office was erected.

This apart, it was alleged that all rules and regulations were overlooked and twisted for the purchase of the prime land from the government at a ‘throwaway’ price.

It was alleged that Sankha Bhawan was constructed over a piece of land measuring 1 acre and 183 decimal after merging four separate plots of Ganga Nagar mouza. While three plots were of ‘gharabari’ category, one of the plots was for road. The land was allotted to BJD by the General Administration department on lease. The terms and condition of the lease made it clear that the land category cannot be changed, sources said.

However, the land marked as road category and meant for public use was clubbed with the three gharabari plots for construction of the BJD office, it was alleged.

Refuting the allegation, BJD said that the land allotment for the party headquarters in Ganga Nagar was made as per the benchmark value norms and a total of Rs 13 crore was paid.

In a statement, BJD media coordinator Lenin Mohanty said that the allotment of land was done in accordance with rules. He further stated that BJD was allotted 1 acre 183 decimal land, while BJP also got a piece of land measuring 1 acre and 269 decimal at Kharavel Nagar in the state capital.

As per record, the conservancy lane between two quarters was not mentioned as public road, he claimed.

Senior BJD leader and party’s organisational secretary Pranab Prakash Das also lashed out at the Revenue Minister accusing him of being ignorant of facts pertaining to allotment of land to BJD.

In a post on X, Das claimed that there were no irregularities in the allotment of land to BJD on lease and construction of Sankha Bhawan. The same high-power committee had allotted land for the offices of BJD as well as BJP, he said.