Dimapur, May 27 (MExN): Landowners and “pattadars” (deed-holders) of Dimapur today addressed a letter to the “Union Defense Minister” demanding that the lands in Dimapur occupied by the military forces should be returned. The Landowners and Pattadars’ Association said it has been ‘fighting for many years for their land occupied by the army without getting any benefit’. According to the association’s president, when contacted, said rent from the military due to landowners, has not been paid for the last several decades. “The government of Nagaland also revised and fixed the land rent for occupied land from Rs. 200 to Re. 1 per acre per annum conceding to the request made by the Army to hand over the same” the representation said.
According to the association, a number of correspondences have been made while meetings have been held “to complete the formalities for handing/taking over of the said land for a number of years”.
The association did not specifically state which areas. “But, astonishingly, the Army authority has been delaying the matter for the reason best known to it delaying and denying justice to these long suffering landowners” the association said. The land owners and “pattadars” have requested the “Union Defense Minister” to personally intervene and take necessary action at the earliest to redress the grievances of the landowners. “Failing which the landowners shall be compelled to take their own course of action for which we shall not be held responsible” it added.
