Plans to stop land acquisition by Govt or private parties without NOC from Council
SHILLONG: The new Executive Committee of the KHADC has decided to clamp down on all land acquisitions within its jurisdiction by the Meghalaya Government or by private parties if these acquisitions are made without the clearance of the Council, Chief Executive Member Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said on Wednesday.
Acquisitions of land for projects like expansion of the New Shillong Township and at Sohra have become contentious issues.
“We need to have a strong law to support this major decision of preventing all future acquisition of land by agencies who fail to get the No Objection Certificate from the Council. I am confident that we would be able to come up with such a legislation to protect any exploitation of land belonging to the local indigenous people,” Basaiawmoit said, outlining the tough stand of the KHADC.
He was replying to a motion moved by Sohra MDC Donevan Kharwanlang on the role of the Council pertaining to land acquisition procedures during the budget session on Wednesday.
The CEM said he was concerned over the manner in which the State Government was acquiring land under the jurisdiction of the Council.
“It is sad that the Government never bothers to take the Council into confidence while acquiring land under its jurisdiction,” Basaiawmoit said.
The CEM assured the House that the new EC would take all possible steps to ensure that the Council has full knowledge of any future acquisition of land within its jurisdiction.
Earlier, moving the motion, the Sohra MDC expressed concern over the manner in which the Government was acquiring a huge chunk of Raid (community) land in Saitsohpen area in Sohra.
“People in Saitsohpen area are totally in the dark about this acquisition of land by the Government. What is worse is that many of people of the area are badly suffering since the Government has taken away their land which they could have utilized for various other purposes,” Kharwanlang said.
He said that the Government recently had given around 900 acres at Saitsohpen for setting up of the permanent campus of the National Institute of Technology, without informing the KHADC.
Supporting the motion, Laitumkhrah MDC Antonio N War raised the issue of the plan of the Government to acquire land within Raid Tynring and Raid Mawpdang for expansion of the New Shillong Township.
“I am afraid that many of the villagers who own agricultural land would be displaced if the Government is allowed to acquire land in these two areas,” War said, adding, “Punishing our own people in the name of development is unjustified.”
He said that the Council would have to step in to protect the local indigenous villagers from being displaced from their own land.
“I would suggest the present EC to urge upon various traditional institutions including the Hima and the Raid to inform the Council before they move for any negotiation with any party for acquisition of land,” the Laitumkhrah MDC said.