SHILLONG: The border area land owners’ forum, Baghmara, South Garo Hills has expressed concern over the delay in land compensation by NBCC which acquired land to construct the border fending.
The president of the Forum, Edward Sangma in a statement issued here said that NBCC after taking an initial survey of the land, immediately got down to the construction of the border fencing.
“They did not even speak to the stakeholders who were to be most affected. The Land Acquisition Act states that a preliminary payment of 80% of the land value including trees would have to be paid to the land owners prior to the construction. The same was not done, with allegations even surfacing of the NBCC using the BSF to forcefully complete the fencing,” Sangma said.
According to Sangma, the state of the landowners has become pitiable as they are unable to make ends meet. Most of the Nokmas, including the Aking Nokmas, have had a very tough time, firstly to explain to the people of the village as well as to manage livelihoods for the people under them.
Sangma said that the compensation process had been taking too long. “In fact, some of the land owners had died without getting any compensation. We have been very patient with the whole thing, expecting the NBCC to complete the package, but the adamant nature of the company has seen us wait for about 7 years now”, Sangma added.
