The Pioneer 16.09.2010
Land mafia sets eye on Berhampur waterbodySantanu Barad | Berhampur
The land mafias seem to be hell-bent upon taking over the largest water body — Ramlingam Tank, at the centre of the city, which has been a breathing space and favourite gathering for intellectuals.
Mafias, with the interest shown by a big corporate house eyeing to build a shopping mall, have been deliberately trying to turn the beautiful century-old waterbody to a garbage dump with a view to selling it, taking advantage of the apathetic attitude of the local civic body and development authority.
A former secretary of the Ganjam Bar Association, after smelling the evil intention of the land mafias, filed a petition at the Sub-Divisional Magistrate’s court to wake up the authorities for maintaining and beautifying the pond.
“The pond belonged to the Ramlingams but it was later gifted to the Berhampur Municipality for public use. However, successive generations of the Ramlingam family were not in a mood to accept the donation by their ancestor and had entered into a legal battle with the local civic body claiming the pond as theirs,” said Manoj, who has filed the petition under Section 133 CrPC seeking remedies for a safe and healthy surrounding for public convenience.
Once a landed property was gifted for any public utility purpose, though owned by any individual, it remains a public property and ought to be maintained by the local administrative authorities, Manoj has stated, adding that the ‘Gift Deed’ is interestingly missing from the civic body office which makes the matter complicated leading to the lingering of the dispute over the possession of the land.
A place is a public place if people are allowed to have access to it, though there may be no legal right to it. So, a well is a public well if people are allowed to use its water,” Manoj has stated while substantiating his legal stand.
The pond has been used by the people over decades. Besides being used for bathing and washing purposes, the pond is visited as a place of gathering by educated mass of the city in the morning and evenings. It has been a favourite pastime for the retired persons and students.
Keeping public utility in view, the municipality had then created a park-like surrounding along the pond on its western side dotting with lodges and hotels while film theatres stand along eastern and southern sides. On one end, there is a Hanuman temple and at the other a Shiva temple adds to the beauty of the surrounding.
But now, the pond is being turned into a garbage dump as nearby hotels and fast food centres throw all their wastes into it. Moreover, wastes and garbage are dumped by anti-social elements during nights, Manoj said adding that a country liquor shop in the locality disturbs the tranquil moments and the filthy garbage inside pollutes the water resulting in skin diseases and mosquito menace.
Hence, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate has been approached to intervene in the matter and order the concerned authorities, including the Bwehampur Municipal Corporation and Berhamapur Development Authority (BDA) to renovate the pond.
The Municipality Corporation has sought time to submit its contentions in the case. The Development Authority has clarified its position stating that it is a matter of the Endowment Commission giving permissive possession to the suite property in favour of the BDA so as to enable the authority to undertake beautification and cleaning of the tank and embankment.
