Tetelia-Byrnihat BG line: Ready to shed blood, not part with land, says JAC
From Eric Calvin Ranee
NONGPOH: Opposing proposed Broad Gauge Railway line between Tetelia in Assam to Byrnihat in Meghalaya (21.50 km), the Joint Action Committee (JAC) on alignment of railway project has threatened to launch agitation if the alignment proposed by the committee is not taken into consideration.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the outcome of the spot inspection of the alignment of the proposed BG line, conducted jointly by the Ri Bhoi district administration and Railway Board of India, the JAC has reiterated its opposition to the alignment surveyed of 2008.
It may be mentioned here if the railway alignment is implemented as per 2008 survey, the entire village of Ronghona, which comprises of 192 people, will be wiped off.
A portion of the Lum Nongrim village will also be affected if the railways alignment survey of 2008 is implemented. According to the alignment survey of 2008, the railway tracks will pass by the football ground of the Byrnihat Sports Association (BSA), then traverse through portions of Lum Nongrim village and through the hills to Ronghona village.
The Ri Bhoi Deputy Commissioner Akash Deep accompanied the officials of the Railway Board of India along with the JAC members and landowners during Friday’s spot inspection.
The JAC chairman and Lum Nongrim Rangbah Shnong Medhi Syiem said the Deputy Commissioner told them that the administration can not accept alignment proposed by the JAC and the track would be laid as per the alignment surveyed in 2008.
He also said the Deputy Commissioner had assured that the State Government would compensate the affected households of Ronghona and Lum Nongrim with a suitable plot of land.
The JAC Chairman said, “If the alignment proposed by the JAC is not taken into consideration then we and the landowners will not part with our land and we will agitate and we are ready to shed blood but we will not agree to the alignment surveyed in 2008.”
It may be mentioned here that the railway project is being opposed by the KSU and the HNYF saying it will lead to influx and pose a threat to the indigenous people of the state.