Dimapur, Feb 27 (MExN): Phesama Village Council took note of the warning issued by the Police department against encroachers in the Phesama Police Reserve land and on this matter, reminded that the village had “contributed generously” to the government and this generosity should not be ‘neglected”.
The government, instead of blaming the village, should be grateful to the landowners, the council stated in a note issued by Chairman Nidilie Kuotsu. According to the council, when the state government approached Phesama for acquisition of land for expansion of the state capital (not for the police or any particular department), villagers donated their land with exception to the areas where no compensation has been made and covered. The council pointed out that the uncompensated areas are: traditionally-preserved lands, terrace fields, 75 feet on both sides of NH-39, traditional stone pillars, “traditional Bamboo groves” and other traditional assets etc.
“As such there is no dispute between Phesama and the government and therefore no organization can claim that the whole land under the New Reserve Phesama belongs to them. If any encroachment takes place in any part of New reserve, this can be settled between Phesama village and the government” the council stated.
The council also highlighted what it called the “unfulfilled promises” of the government: “Cultivable lands at Dimapur to be given to the Phesama; suitable plot of land for landowners at Dimapur and Kohima main town; contract works under New Reserve Phesama to be allotted to the landowners; suitable employment opportunities to landowners.”
Phesama is a generous village “who always cooperates with the government and the Nagas as a whole” it maintained, and informed that the village has been supplying water free of cost to Kohima town since 1964 and also donated a large area of cultivable land for expansion of Kohima in 1968. So rather than blaming the village the government should be grateful and hold the donor by fulfilling its duties and encourage its citizens to live like law-abiding and generous village like Phesama, it added.
