By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Indigenous Biodiversity & Social Welfare Organisation has welcomed the new Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation Bill, 2012 passed by the Lok Sabha on Thursday stating that it is a vast improvement over the Land Acquisition Act, 1894.
“We welcome this new Bill since it is a step towards empowering and transferring the right of decision to the local community for land acquisition by outside agencies (outside the community) as gram sabhas may have compulsions to decide against the majority through the politics of coercion and caste,” senior advisor of the organization Rev Dr PBM Basaiawmoit said in a statement issued here on Friday.
While welcoming the Bill, Basaiawmoit, however, said, “We will have to go through the provisions (of the Bill) again in a wider context and welcoming of the Bill should not be seen as a blanket acceptance,” he added.
The organization has also cautioned that the Bill should not come into conflict or over-ride provisions and spirit of the 5th and 6th Schedule as well that of the Forest Rights Act & States’ Land Transfer Acts.