Congress demands land compensation as per 2006 R R Policy

Bhubaneswar, Feb 7(UNI) The Congress today demanded compensation to people displaced by an alumina company in Kashipur block of Rayagada district as per the 2006 Resettlement and Rehabilitation policy.

Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee Scheduled Tribes Department Chairman Ulaka Ramachandra told newspersons here that the tribals displaced by the Utkal Alumina project were paid compensation at the rate of only Rs one lakh per acre whereas Aditya Aluminium located close by was paying Rs 3.4 lakh per acre to the land oustees.

The Utkal Alumina company, he alleged, had lodged many cases against the displaced villagers and urged the government to withdraw all those filed against them and provide land and employment to the displaced in the scheduled areas.

Criticising the government for adopting ''double standard'' role, Mr Ulaka said while on one hand the government has launched '' mo jami, mo dhia''(my land, my homestead land) scheme to provide land to the landless tribals, it was evicting the tribals from their own land and handing over the land to industries in the scheduled areas on the other.

Mr Ulaka also demanded the government to provide bicycles to plus two first year girl students in KBK districts and establish separate hostels for ST girls in Kandhamal district.

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