Raighar, 21st July 2025: In Raighar block of Nabarangpur district, tensions have recently arisen over disputes concerning forest land. In a united stand to demand a resolution to the issue, members of all Forest Protection Committees in the block, along with local residents, organized a massive rally and submitted a memorandum to the administration.
On Wednesday, hundreds of Forest Protection Committee members and locals gathered in front of the Jagannath Temple. Following this, they took out a large rally across the town, raising slogans for forest protection and a permanent solution to the forest land disputes. The rally culminated at the offices of the Forest Department, Police Station, and Block Office, where they submitted their demands through the Range Officer, Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of the police station, and the Block Development Officer (BDO) addressed to the District Collector, Superintendent of Police (SP), and Divisional Forest Officer (DFO).
Their demands included:
Immediate action against individuals who are illegally cutting down forest land for cultivation
Punishment for those inciting conflict and tension among the Forest Protection Committees (VSS) and villages
Strict action against those who are extorting money from innocent people by falsely promising land titles (pattas)
Arrest of VSS committee members and forest protection attackers involved in the Nacotisimoda incident
Issuance of land pattas to individuals who have been residing and farming on forest land prior to 2005
Reforestation in areas where forests have been destroyed for illegal cultivation
Strengthening enforcement of government forest laws
Identification of disputed forest protection committees and Forest Guard beat areas in the block
An impartial investigation and distribution of land pattas accordingly
Leaders from all 49 Forest Protection Committees of Raighar block participated in this rally. Key leaders included Jagannath Nayak, Topiram Nayak, Sahadev Gand, Dasharu Gand, Jagudu Gand, Manglu Gand, and Sahadev Gand, among others.
No responses yet