Dharna for CBI probe into Odisha land scam

Odisha Channel Bureau Bhubaneswar, Sep 10: A large number of people’s organisations on Wednesday started a three-day-long mass dharna on the Mahatma Gandhi Marg demanding CBI probe into various land scams that have come to light in Odisha in the recent past.CAG report had exposed the land scam in which a coterie of politicians, Bureau crats, business houses, private educational institutions and few so-called powerful people of the State had acquired government land, plots and houses in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack, the people sitting on dharna said.The revenue loss to the State due to irregularities and illegalities in respect of allotment of land was roughly calculated as more than one lakh crore, the activists said, while adding that the CAG expose was just a tip of the iceberg as its audit was limited to only a few test cases.“With undeniable proofs and evidences, it has also brought to the limelight how a dubious nexus among the vested interests of the politicians, Bureau crats and business class has been systematically working to loot and plunder the public wealth of Odisha.” In many cases, the Ministers, MLAs and officers were not only involved in amassing huge fortunes for themselves by corrupt means, but also served as masterminds for allotting prized lands to private companies and institutions at throw-away price, the activists said in a statement.The civil society groups agitating over the issue had organised rally and demonstration at lower PMG square on the Mahatma Gandhi Marg and submitted memorandum to the Chief Minister demanding CBI inquiry into it the land scams.The activists then decided to stage the dharna to highlight their demand.