By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: State Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Prof RC Laloo has stated that the State Government is very much alive on the draft of the proposed National Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill, 2011.
“It is totally wrong to say that the Government is silent on this matter. Infact, we have already engaged our experts to discuss the draft of the proposed Bill in details,” Prof Laloo said on Friday.
He said that the Government was concerned about the ramifications of the proposed Bill on the land rights of the local indigenous people of the State.
“If the Government was not concerned about the protection of the land of local indigenous people it would not have initiated the proposed Amendment of the Land Transfer Regulation Act, 1971 which is aimed at providing better protection on land rights to the people of the State.
Laloo said that the State Government had enough time on its hands to solicit views and opinions on the proposed Bill.
“The Government would definitely seek the views of the three Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) in the State on the draft of the proposed Bill,” he added.
SOMALA appeal against land acquisition bill
The Social Organisation of Meghalaya against Land alienation (SOMALA), a conglomeration of various NGOs, has appealed the Prime Minister of India to exempt Meghalaya from the purview of the proposed land acquisition Bill 2011 since the State falls under the Sixth Scheduled area.
In a memorandum, SOMALA urged the Prime Minister to reconstruct the State Act by Amendment of Sec 4(1) e and 4(1) f of the Meghalaya Transfer of Land Regulation Act 1971.
