Odisha Forest Officer Amasses 115 Plots During 33-Year Career, Sparks Investigation into Land Holdings

An Odisha forest officer, Nityananda Nayak, has been found to have amassed 115 plots of land over the past 33 years, with the majority concentrated in the Chhendipada area of Angul, which sits atop vast coal reserves. The acquisitions are believed to be strategic, aimed at future windfalls from land compensation. The Odisha government's Vigilance Directorate is investigating the source of funds for Nayak's land holdings.

An Odisha forest officer, Nityananda Nayak, has been found to have amassed 115 plots of land over the past 33 years, with the majority concentrated in the Chhendipada area of Angul, which sits atop vast coal reserves. The acquisitions are believed to be strategic, aimed at future windfalls from land compensation. The Odisha government's Vigilance Directorate is investigating the source of funds for Nayak's land holdings.

Nityananda Nayak, currently serving as the Divisional Forest Officer of the Kendu Leaf Division in Keonjhar, has been placed atop the Vigilance Directorate’s list of corrupt officials. His land-buying spree began modestly, with just two plots between 1992 and 2006. However, from 2007 onward, his purchases escalated. During his posting as Forest Ranger in the Khariar division (2007–2015), he acquired 64 plots. Promoted to Assistant Conservator of Forests, he added 39 more between 2015 and 2022. As Deputy Conservator of Forests in the PCCF (Wildlife) office, Bhubaneswar, he purchased another eight plots from 2022 to 2024. Even in his current posting in Keonjhar, he has added two more since January this year.

The vigilance probe also revealed a four-storeyed, 9,000-square-foot building constructed by Mr. Nayak at Turanga in Angul. The ownership details show that of the 115 plots, 53 were in Nayak’s name, 42 in his wife’s, and 20 under the name of his two sons and daughter. All were concentrated in the Chhendipada area of Angul, a region known for its rich coal reserves.

The Odisha government’s Vigilance Directorate is compiling a list of government officials who have amassed such assets, and Mr. Nayak is at the top, surpassing even Pravas Kumar Pradhan, who owned 105 plots. Others on the list include Ramachandra Mishra, former Joint Commissioner of Excise, and Pradeep Kumar Rath, Additional Chief Engineer of Odisha Bridge and Construction Corporation, both with over 50 plots each.

An investigation into the source of funds for Mr. Nayak’s expansive land holdings is currently under way. The acquisitions are suspected to be part of a larger scheme to benefit from land compensation in the area, which is expected to run into crores.

[1] https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/odisha/obsession-for-land-odisha-forest-officer-found-to-have-purchased-115-plots/article69835651.ece