Bhubaneswar, March 23: The state government today formed a nine-member committee under the Puri district collector's chairmanship to probe into the alleged grabbing of Swargadwar land by influential persons.
Bodies from across the state are taken to the crematorium, known as Swargadwar, for cremation. Every day, nearly 70 to 90 bodies are cremated here.
The ground, which had been earlier spread over 16.04 acres, now shrunk to one acre. A section of the land mafia had grabbed part of the land and sold it to various people. Many hotels and commercial establishments have also come up on the land.
The crematorium land belongs to the Puri Shankaracharya mutt.
Revenue divisional commissioner (central) A.B. Ota today reviewed the land grabbing issue in Puri.
He said: "A nine-member team has been formed under the Puri collector's chairmanship. The panel has been asked to submit a detailed report on the land grabbed through fraudulent means, within seven days."
Ota said the Puri additional district magistrate would act as the committee convener.
Puri collector Arvind Agrawal said: "Criminal proceedings will be taken against those, who have grabbed the crematorium land. The constructions will be demolished following the legal procedure. It will take time. Once we initiate the action, a section of people will move the court. We are also prepared for that. But, the land will be restored at any cost."
He said: "The administration is probing into the circumstances that have led to the transfer of the 16.04 acres. According to preliminary investigation, some land has been transferred after getting permission from the Shankaracharya mutt and a sale deed was also registered."
He further said: "The administration will check the power of attorney, on the basis of which the sale deed was registered. It will seek the help of the mutt to ascertain if the documents are genuine."
Throwing his hat into the controversy, Shankaracahrya Swami Nishalananda Saraswati today blamed the predecessor governments and chief ministers of Odisha for the Swargadwar land grabbing by influential people.
Talking to reporters, Nishalananda said: "Once the area of the mutt extended up to the sea. It has been looted in the past and many of its documents lost. It was consistently ignored by successive governments and chief ministers. People in the past also misused their powers."
Puri MLA Maheswar Mohanty said: "The idea of setting up a second Swargadwar is not acceptable. People's sentiments are attached to it. We will provide all support to the administration."
