Bhojpur farmers resent ban on registry, mutation of 20,000 bigha in riverine areas

Kumar Rajiv Nayan

Ara : Revenue and Land Reform Department, Government of Bihar, had in 2016 earmarked 20,000 bighas of agriculture land spread over about three dozen villages from Shivdiahari to Barhara located between diara (riverine) areas of river Ganga in Bhojpur and Saran districts as unsurveyed and banned issuing of receipts and chalan, registry and also their mutation depriving the farmers concerned of ownership over their land.

This ban is also enforced on about 225.5 acre of land in Bal-Panchat in Bhojpur district. Land revenue was deposited about one and half a month ago but due to the ban, it has not been accepted.

Majority of the farmers in Bhojpur district affected due to ban on registry and mutation belong to Neknam Tola, Khwaspur, Dasuchak, Raghubir Rai ka Tola, Jiwa Rai Ka Tola, Bakhorapur, Nathmalpur, Shaligram Singh ka Tola, Alekhi Tola, Mahudahi, Mariamchak, Chain Chhapara, Vishambharpur, Lala Tola, Gyanpur-Semaria, Keshavpur, Semaria-Padaria, Barhara, Ekauna, Sirisiya, Babura, Bindgawa, New Sabalpur, Old Sabalpur, Bandhu Chhapara, Sinha, Majhauli, Tribhuani, Sohara, Kutukpur ka Dera.

Circle Officer (CO), Chhapara in Saran district, Pankaj Kumar said that the agriculture land lying between Shivdihari Mauza and Barhara Mahazi Mauza in Bhojpur district comes under jurisdiction of Chhapara circle office in Saran district. He said that farmers of Bhojpur district have right of ownership on 17,787 bighas while that of Saran on 1,000 bighas but in the light of a letter from the Revenue and Land Reform Department, ban has been imposed on the registry, mutation and receipt of these lands.

The farmers said that after the Trivedi Commission report in 1968, more than 5,456 bighas of land was transferred to Uttar Pradesh and now the government has banned mutation and registry of about 20,000 bighas of land.

CO, Barhara, Vidya Alok said that revenue was collected and receipt was issued on 225.5 acres of Bal-Panchat land till 2016 but later a ban was imposed on the collection of revenue on the direction of the then Bhojpur DM. On the other hand, CO, Shahpur, Shwetabh Verma said that no such ban has been imposed in the ‘disara’ areas under Shahpur circle. Meanwhile, resentment prevails among the farmers concerned and they are contemplating to resort to agitation.