BERHAMPUR: The state government took possession of over 12 acre in Ganjam district belonging to two chit fund companies, Artha Tatwa (AT) and Golden Land Private Limited, on Friday.

While 8.07 acre of AT Group at Sindurapali under Chhatrapur tehsil was attached, around 4.1 acre belonging to Golden Land at Gadagadapalli (2.2 acre) and Govindapur (1.901 acre) in the same tehsil was also acquired by the local tehsildar.

"We have attached and taken into possession of lands of these chit fund groups on the direction of additional district magistrate, Cuttack," said tehsildar (Chhatrapur) S K Sahu. He had directed the tehsildar to take possession of over 46 acre belonging to AT Group (41.407 acre), Golden Land (4.101 acre) and Safex India (2.673 acre) located at different places in the tehsil. "The process has already started and more acquisition is likely next week," he said.

The tehsildar has issued the notice to villagers and concerned panchayats advising them not to buy or sell land as the government is going to take possession of these. The land is in Sindurapalli (10.945 acre) and Laxmipur (22.392 acre) of AT Group and Kanabana (2.101 acre) of Safex.

Chamakhandi police are guarding the land. "We have installed red flags on the acquired land to identify the land. We have also advised people not to buy or acquire it by any mean," said IIC of Chamakhandi Ashok Kumar Parida. Police would keep an eye on the land, he said.