SOMALA against land acquisition in Jaintia Hills

SHILLONG: The Social Organizations of Meghalaya Against Land Alienation (SOMALA) has reiterated its stand against the Forest department’s initiative of preparing the modalities for acquisition of land on behalf of the nine cement plants in Jaintia Hills to facilitate the process of compensatory afforestation.
In a statement issued here on Friday, SOMALA Convener W Anthony urged the Government to consider and not undertake the land acquisition process which will deprive local people of their land.
Taking a cue from the statement of the Forest department official, it was assured that the nine cement plants would have to carry out compensatory afforestation since there is an apex court ruling on Lafarge Umiam Mining Private Ltd (LUMPL), SOMALA counteracted the statement saying that the Forest department principal Secretary MS Rao has not referred to the pending land dispute in the court of law in this regard.
“The nine cement companies who have misused 1600 acres of land may not be rewarded with a bonanza of land acquisition in their favour,” SOMALA said.
The State Government is preparing the modalities for acquisition of land since Meghalaya Transfer of Land (Regulation), 1971 does not allow cement plants to purchase land in the State.