Balasore, December 9 (odisha.in) The residents of at least six villages near the Integrated Test Range (ITR), located in Chandipur-on-Sea in Balasore district want a daily missile test, literally.
As, they are being well compensated for the tests without losing anything. Only they have to shift and that too through vehicles provided by the district administration to the temporary shelters for some hours only.
Besides, the missile tests also fetch them a good buck of income as they managed to incorporate their relatives and show them as their family members to get as much compensation.
“They give us money more than our daily wages and also for the entertainment. Our children are also well compensated. We get these without any labour. It is totally a benefit us. It will be better if such tests carried out twice in a week,” said Sukura Singh, a resident.
It is also alleged that villagers managed to include their relatives from outside villages as their family members after bribing the local revenue officials.
“The revenue inspector takes Rs 10 per head and identifies them as local resident. This practice is on since last some years. As the money comes from the defence ministry, none bothers who takes it – the displaced or their relatives,” alleged a villager.
This apart, the outsiders who work at the shrimp farms in the locality also claim themselves as locals and demand compensation.
Collector Alekh Chandra Padhiary also admitted that there have been allegations of local residents trying to incorporate their relatives and identify them as their family members.
“I became astonished when the village leaders gave me a list of about 4000 people to be shifted during this air defence exercise. I suspected that when last time less them 3000 people were shifted, how the figure could be a thousand more within just six months,” said Padhiary.
“I instructed the revenue officials to conduct an inquiry and according a list was prepared. However, about 2879 people including 2255 adults and 619 children were shifted and compensated,” he added.
This time the villagers have been Rs 10 rich each as the district administration has increased the compensation amount. “We have given Rs 4,41,305 to distribute among the temporarily displaced villagers,” said Sarmistha Sethi, zone officer, rehabilitation.
During the test of medium range and long range ballistic missiles, the residents of six villages – Khadupahi, Kusumulipahi, Jaydevkasaba Pahi, Bhimpurpahi, Bardhanpur Pahi and Sahaza Nagar Pahi – located within two km radius of the ITR are shifted to temporary shelters.
Odisha.in