Newmai News Network
Shillong | November 14
Residents of Hingaria village under East Jaintia Hills (EKH) district of Meghalaya have warned that they will be forced to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) while pointing out that they have not been compensated for their land which was acquired by the government for border fencing work.
In a letter to the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of EJH district on November 14, the residents informed that they have been waiting almost a decade to be compensated for the land that they had parted with and also farmland which was damaged in the process of this fencing work along the Indo – Bangladesh border.
“Actually, the government had promised to compensate the residents of Hingaria village for their land which was taken by the government for the construction of a road and the border fencing work. They were also assured that they will be paid for the damage done to their farmland and their crops during this fencing work. However, till date, they residents of Hingaria have not received payment,” one Marshall Biam said.
Interestingly, the residents informed that officials had surveyed and measured their land as many as three times before the acquisition. “The government and National Border Construction Company (NBCC) officials also told us that they would pay us in the meter system and not the square foot system which is the norm,” the residents said while adding that they don’t even know the rates at which their land was acquired.
In this regard, they opined that something is amiss while questioning why their land had to be measured as many as three times.
Urging the DC to take up the matter urgently, the residents of Hingaria have appealed to set up a meeting to clarify matters failing which they will be forced to file a PIL on the issue if they are denied their dues for much longer.
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