Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 02 2009:
Chief Minister Okram Ibobi was reportedly disappointed with the mode of paying compensation to Jiribam people affected by acquisition of land for Jiribam-Tupul railway line.
It is reported that the affected people of Jiribam were summoned to Imphal to take their compensation amount.
The matter came to light a few days back during a meeting presided by Chief Minister O Ibobi and attended by the Revenue Secretary, the Imphal East DC and Railway officials.
The meeting was convened after receiving written representations from the Northern Frontier Railways which complained that track laying work was delayed as required land was not handed over to them even as compensation amount for acquisition of land along 04 kms of the rail line was deposited at the relevant Department.
Instead of handing over the compensation amount to Jiribam ADC, compensation amounts were distributed to the land owners after summoning them to Imphal thereby consuming more time and incurring more expenditure.
The Chief Minister instructed the relevant officials to disburse all compensation amounts at the earliest.
Officials of the Northern Frontier Railways said that track laying work continue during rainy season too.
They also pledged that maximum efforts would be put in to complete the project ahead of the stipulated time.
The officials further informed that survey work of the Tupul-Imphal rail line would be conducted by Rail India Technical and Economic Survey.