Chiabasa, June 8: In the light of the ongoing domicile controversy, the missing pages from the land survey record books of united Singhbhum have assumed significance.

Last year, the government had announced that the 1932 land survey records would form the basis of determining the domicile status of a resident.

However, several pages from the land record khatiyans or books, kept in the district record room at Chaibasa, have either been misplaced or have been destroyed. Officials fear that if news of the missing pages spread, it would add fuel to the domicile controversy.

The records have detailed information on each plot of land in united Singhbhum — right from its owner’s name, geographical location to the area of coverage.

“This is the only record maintained by the government at provincial level...And now some of the pages of the survey khatiyan are missing. If we are asked to show the records, then we will be in a soup,” an employee at the district records room said.

“Besides, the record books are in a pitiable condition. If you flick through the books, the pages start peeling off,” he said.

According to sources, an assistant to governor-general Lt J.S. Davis had began the practice of keeping records of land transaction and other events in Singhbhum way back in 1837. Since then, the British officers maintained the record books and after Independence, the government updated the khatiyan from time to time.

On the missing pages of the khatiyan, deputy collector Kumar Jha, in-charge of the record room, said: “The books are so old, it is quite possible that some pages are missing. Anyway, we have kept the important files in a separate place.”

Historian A.K. Sen said: “I had done some research work in the district record room. This place is a storehouse of information. I wanted to modernise the method of storing information. But the government showed scant interest. I have heard that some documents, dating back to the 1870s, are missing. A few years ago, some land documents were sent to either Rachi or Patna for reference. Maybe those records are missing.”