Local people would be displaced from their own land, MDC fears
SHILLONG: Sohryngkham MDC Pyniaid Sing Syiem (HSPDP) on Wednesday expressed concern over the land acquisition by the State Government in the New Shillong Township (NST) which is likely to displace a large number of families from their own land.
“The Urban Affairs department is planning to acquire a total of 200 acres of land under Raid Mawpdang in the NST. Following this land acquisition a large number of families will be displaced from their own land. What is worse is that a majority of them will lose their agricultural land,” Syiem said while participating in a Motion moved by Umroi MDC Albinus Lyngdoh (Congress) on Wednesday.
“These families who are totally dependent on agriculture will die of starvation since they will not have any land to continue their farming,” Syiem said.
He also informed that in his capacity as local MDC he had written to Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh urging her to stop the land acquisition exercise in the NST.
“In her reply to my letter, she mentioned that the department will have to go ahead with the land acquisition since the whole proposal has already been finalized,” he said, while urging the Council to step in to protect the local indigenous villagers from being displaced from their own land.
“I would suggest the EC to urge upon various traditional institutions including the Hima and Raid to inform the Council before negotiating with any party on any land deal,” Syiem said.
Participating in the discussion, Congress MDC Antonio War (Laitumkhrah) also questioned the decision of the State Government to acquire land within Raid Tynring and Raid Mawpdang for expansion of the New Shillong Township.
“Many villagers owning agricultural land would be displaced if the Government goes ahead with the land acquisition. It is totally unjustified to punish our own people in the name of development,” War said.
KHADC CEM Adelbert Nongrum, however, assured that the Executive Committee will take appropriate steps to prevent local villagers from being displaced from their own land.
“We will not allow the State Government to acquire the Raid land if it goes against the interest of our own people,” Nongrum added.