Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, June 11, 2015

A couple days after performance review of revenue and disaster management department by chief minister, Naveen Patnaik, the state government has promulgated The Odisha Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Ordinance, 2015 with provision of imprisonment for one to seven years besides penalty against offenders.

The Ordinance makes land grabbing a “cognizable” offence. The offences committed under the Ordinance will be made punishable with imprisonment for a minimum period of one year which may extend up to seven years and with fine which may extend up to Rs 20,000.

The state government imposed the law through ordinance after the Special Cell of the department strongly recommended for a special legislation to prohibit encroachment of land belonging to government, local authorities, religious and charitable organizations. The Advocate General also had concurred the views of the Cell. Ordinance was promulgated after the Law department vetted the proposal, officials said.

In fact, the special cell was formed in March 2011 to detect government land fraudulently settled in favour of various individuals and for restoration of such land. The Special Cell has so far detected grabbing of government land in excess of 15,000 acres out of which more than 7000 acres have been restored to government ownership, sources said.

“Land grabbing is now a cognizable offence in Odisha with criminal liability,” Revenue and disaster management secretary Mona Sharma said.

Sharma said the government would soon introduce a Bill in this regard in the assembly soon.

The government also has decided to set up five special courts to deal with land grabbing cases.

The Ordinance provides for establishment of a special court having powers to take suo motu cognisance and try every case arising out of an alleged act of land-grabbing or on application filed by any officer, authority or person.

The court will be deemed to be a “civil court” and “court of session” for the purpose of the Ordinance. The notification has defined who will be called land encroachers.

In the event of any individual or group of individuals illegally occupying government land trying to sell it or making efforts to sell it or illegally doing construction work on it action will be taken away from him/them.