From Our Correspondent
NONGSTOIN: Paddy field owners along the NH 44 (E) at Umsaw, 12 kms from Nongstoin, have complained against B. Seenaiah & Co. (Projects) Limited (Joint Venture), the construction company engaged in widening of the Nongstoin-Tura NH-44(E) for dumping all the debris from the construction site on their paddy fields. The land owners have alleged that even if all the debris is removed from the fields, it would take at least a minimum of five to six years before the land could be cultivated again.
Alleging that most of their produce, which is the only source of their livelihood, has been destroyed the paddy field owners – Srelina Syiemiong and Branding Lyngdoh (from Urkali) and Skilis Syiemiong and Shri Theodorus Syiemiong (from Mawliehdain) – had approached the company officials and asked them to construct a wall by the roadside to prevent the debris from spilling on to their fields and also to clear the debris that had already been dumped. However, when their pleas fell on deaf ears, the land owners approached the KSU (Nongstoin Circle), which made a spot visit to the site to survey the dumping. Davisgoldfield Wanniang, president KSU Nongstoin Circle, informed that the paddy fields now look as if they had been hit by flash flood.
Wanniang along with other KSU members met West Khasi Hills Deputy Commisioner S Kharlyngdoh and demanded compensation for the paddy field owners.
The DC has assured them that he would take up the issue with the company officials at the earliest.