SHILLONG: Synjuk ki Trai Jaka, Land Owners of New Umtru Village, Byrnihat of Ri-Bhoi district in Meghalaya have maintained a tough stand not to allow the inauguration of the New Umtru Hydro-Electric Project, Byrnihat as their land compensation was not paid as yet.
Batstar Diengdoh, president of the Synjuk said, “We have not received our compensation till date from Meghalaya Electric Corporation Limited (MeECL). We will allow the inauguration of the project if our compensation should be paid.”
At the same time, land Owners of New Umtru Village, Byrnihat, Ri-Bhoi district have petitioned the Chief Minister Mukul Sangma for the non-payment of compensation to the land owners who had provided land for the newly constructed New Umtru Hydro Electric Project, Byrnihat.
Moreover, they mentioned about the non-regularisation of the service of casual employees who are local residents and the land owners’ close relatives and family members.
In the letter to the CM the land owners said that their land was acquired by the Meghalaya Electric Corporation Limited (MeECL) for construction of the New Umtru Hydro Electric Project at Byrnihat, Ri Bhoi District.
The association argued that the land or plot of land should have been acquired according to the existing land acquisition process/procedures but the same was not done by the MeECL.
The association claimed that the representatives/officials of the MeECL assured the land owners that their land, trees and crops would be fairly compensated for and also agreed to the demand of the land owners to give employment to the local residents in the power project according to their capacity and capability.