Thursday, March 28, 2024
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Govt to constitute panel to reclaim defence land

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By Our Reporter

 SHILLONG: The State Government on Thursday announced constitution of an official committee to negotiate with the Centre for transfer of defence land to civil authorities.

Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma while announcing that the committee would be constituted during the Budget session itself, said, “I agree with the suggestion of the members for constitution of the official committee. This committee is very relevant to show that the government is committed to getting back the land for the overall interest of the citizens of the State.”

The Chief Minister was responding to a motion moved by UDP legislator Paul Lyngdoh on the urgent need to transfer defence land to civil authorities.

“The government has been earnestly pursuing this issue with the Centre for re-transfer of defence land to civil authorities. I have also personally met the Union Defense Minister to discuss this matter,” he said.

The Chief Minister mentioned that the defence areas which the government is contemplating to get back includes land near the Sweepers’ Lane at Mawlonghat for construction of a road-cum-flyover, Rhino and Civil Hospital junctions for improving the traffic geometrics, Jhalupara Beat House for construction of permanent administrative and residential quarters, Cantonment Beat House for permanent accommodation for Beat House personnel and creation of a fire sub-station, Butcher junction for widening and expansion of the Guwahati-Shillong road and some portion of land for extension of the parking lot at Lukier road.

“We have also sought re-transfer of the Garrison Ground and the hillock on the other side of the highway, measuring about 83.768 acres,” Dr Sangma informed the members in the Assembly.

He also informed that the defence authorities were sitting idle on a request from the State Government to part with 38 acres of their land for expansion of the runway at the Shillong Airport, Umroi.

Stating that defence authorities have occupied about 2,096.12 acres of land in and around Shillong alone, Dr Sangma said, “The total area we have been asking for transfer works out to only about 97 acres which constitutes only 4.58 per cent of the area presently occupied by the armed forces.”

Earlier, moving the motion, UDP legislator Paul Lyngdoh said that the government needs to make serious efforts to acquire the land from the defence authorities. He drew the attention of the house to the issue of fencing erected by the defence authorities which according to him has become a bottleneck for the common citizens of the State.

“What is worse is that the defence authorities have started to claim ownership of the road which is dominated by the civilian population,” the UDP legislator said, while referring to the road leading to Military Engineering Service from Lumsohra, Laitumkhrah toward Goraline which the army claims as its own.

Lyngdoh suggested shifting of the various defence establishments to the Meghalaya-Assam border areas. “This would help to address the apprehension that Assam is encroaching into land of the State,” he added.

Former Chief Minister DD Lapang spoke on the need for constitution of a committee which would pursue with the Centre for re-transferring of the defence land to the civil authorities.

Lapang also recalled that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had constituted a High Power Committee (HPC) to look into the issue of transfer of defence land to the civil authorities for the benefit of the civilians.

“The sad part is that the defence authorities were not ready to cooperate with the committee regarding transfer of defense land,” the former Chief Minister added.

Assembly Speaker Charles Pyngrope threw light on the harassment suffered by the civilian population at the hands of the army personnel.

Pyngrope narrated an incident of army highhandedness where a vehicle carrying a dead body was prevented from entering Mawshabuit village as the armed forces had erected a gate on the outskirts of the village.

The Speaker informed that the army personnel allowed the vehicle to pass only after the driver threatened to drop the body on the road.

Independent legislator Manas Chaudhuri pointed out that the motion moved by the UDP legislator does not mention the alternative arrangement for the defence authorities if they hand over their land to the State Government.

Though he admitted that the issue is crucial, Chaudhuri felt that there should be deliberations on the pros and cons of this critical issue.

“We need to understand that the army is a very important component as it looks after the defense of the country,” he said. He also highlighted the Army’s importance saying that even the Centre allocates maximum funds for defense preparedness.

He wanted the government to take steps to see that there is no misuse of the defence land if it is transferred back to the State Government.

Others members who participated in the motion included Sayeedullah Nongrum, Ronnie V Lyngdoh, PW Khongjee (all Congress) and Metbah Lyngdoh (UDP).

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