An RTI activist and an environmentalist have turned their guns on the former BJD MP and owner of KIIT and KISS, Achyuta Samanta, in response to the Center’s directive to the Khordha Collector and the Odisha Chief Secretary to halt the diversion of forest land in favour of KISS.
Achyuta Samanta is said to be a regular land thief. Furthermore, following the development, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the previous ruling party, has also come under scrutiny.
According to reports, Khordha Collector began the process of diverting and transferring 4.032 hectares of revenue forest land under Chandaka Wildlife Division to KISS, Bhubaneswar, so that the organisation could build educational facilities for students from tribal communities.
On June 21, the Khordha Collector and the Odisha Chief Secretary received a letter from Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram instructing them to halt the process completely.
Separately, the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has asked the State government for clarifications on the subject.
“As the proposal was being processed, complaints regarding appropriate adherence to the Forest Rights Act (FRA) were received. It is acknowledged that you have started the process of giving Kalinga Institute of Social Science (KISS) ownership of the aforementioned revenue forest land. The letter stated, “You are advised to hold off on moving forward with the process until the Ministry of Tribal Affairs receives the necessary clarification and formal clearance is issued in the matter.”
KISS published an advertisement earlier, prior to the general elections, about getting approval from the Ministry. It has frequently been claimed that KISS is encroaching illegally on a number of forest lands.
