NPP backs James, clarifies on farmer market controversy

TURA: A day after members of some organisations protested over reports about shifting of the site for a proposed farmers market in Jengjal, constituency of home minister James Pangsang K Sangma, the National People’s Party of Dadenggre has backed their legislator and also released a statement clarifying the controversy and terming the agitation as unjustified and politically motivated.
“The upcoming farmers market is not only for the people of Jengjal but entire Dadenggre constituency. It is the initiative of the central government and the government of chief minister Conrad K Sangma in the state” mentioned Dadenggre NPP president W N Sangma.
The party clarified that the shifting of the market to the new site was because of lack of land and stated that all efforts were made to locate a suitable place in the existing Jengjal market of the requisite size of a minimum four bighas along with a convenient approach but there was no land available.
“Even a previous project for a Lay Bye Market under Horticulture Department, a few years back, had to be similarly constructed away from the Jengjal market area due to non availability of land and surprisingly,
there were no objections at that point of time,” recalled Sangma in his statement. The NPP informed that because of lack of available land, their legislator and current home minister donated his own personal plot which was found to be the nearest appropriate plot available.
“This generosity of the local MLA can be checked with the district administration because the land was handed over as a gift deed to the West Garo Hills deputy commissioner for absolutely no cost,” announced the NPP. The party also cautioned that had land not been made available then Jengjal would have lost this rural market scheme with the farmers market being diverted to another region.