Affected landowners seek clarification
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 07 2024: Affected landowners of seven villages have demanded an "apology" and a "clarification" from Armstrong Pame, former Deputy Commissioner of Tamenglong district and line Departments concerned for allegedly issuing "No Objection Certificate of Handing Over of Land, Standing Property on Zero Compensation basis for the purpose of Tamenglong-Haflong Road" .

The affected landowners are of Dailong village, Inriangluang (Tamenglong) village, Phelong village, Namtiram village, Azuram village, Mandeu village and Tousem village.

In an open letter addressed to the former DC and line Departments, the affected landowners said the alleged no objection certificate violated the National Highways Act 1956 and "The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisitions on Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act 2013 .

They claimed the signatures of "ignorant" Village Chairmen/Secretaries of the villages were obtained on an affidavit written as "No Objection Certificate of Handing Over of Land, Standing Property on Zero Compensation basis for the purpose of Tamenglong-Haflong Road" on October 14, 2020 .

While the signatures were obtained allegedly without the consent of the legitimate landowners, it has caused damage and losses to the poverty-stricken villagers and cultivators who are entirely dependent upon the land and its resources, they said.

Stating that the affected landowners have been fairly compensated for a portion of the same road/project from Jiri River to Mahur falling under Assam State, they asked whether the laws and Act are not applicable to them also.

Claiming they have been "forced" to agree to "zero compensation", they asked the then Deputy Commissioner and the Line Departments to clarify and apologize to them by September 1 .

"Your apologies will enable the review and solve the problems...", they said.

In case the former DC and the line Departments fail to clarify, they shall be held responsible for all unwanted and untoward incidents and shall compensate in commensurate to the values of losses caused to the lands and the properties by the construction of the 96.870 Km Tamenglong-Haflong Road/Tamenglong-Mahur Road (NH-137), they said.

Comment