Revenue Divisional Commissioner (northern division) Pramod Meherda has directed Sambalpur Collector Balwant Singh to chargesheet former Additional Sub-Collector Ajay Kumar Tiwari, currently posted as Jujumura BDO in the district, for irregularities in transfer of tribal lands in the names of non-tribals.
Meherda has also called for review of the circular issued by former RDC Hrusikesh Panda on transfer and sale of tribal lands. The directive was issued at the two-day divisional District Collector’s Conference which concluded here on Saturday.
Such has been the magnitude of transfer that as many as 78 tribals have been rendered landless contrary to the provision of Section 22 of Odisha Land Reforms (OLR) Act, 1960. Moreover, the guideline of the RDC had also been violated.
According to reports, Tiwari was the Additional Sub-Collector from November 1, 2010 to July 31, 2012, when as many as 363 ‘permission cases’ seeking transfer of tribal and Dalit lands had been allowed.
