DIMAPUR, AUGUST 17 (MExN): The Railway Affected Landowners’ Association (RALOA) has expressed dissatisfaction over what it described as the Railway department’s repeated issuance of eviction orders to landowners, alleging that such actions violate status quo orders of the court and could amount to contempt of court.
In a statement issued on August 17, RALOA Senior Advisor S Hukavi Zhimomi said the repeated eviction notices were creating an “unpleasant environment” and described the Railway department’s approach as “unacceptable and immature” at a time when the State government is attempting to address the longstanding land dispute.
Zhimomi pointed out that the State government has constituted a High Power Committee to examine the landowners’ concerns and explore the possibility of withdrawing court cases if compensation is provided. He said the committee is also examining patta lands in Dimapur and their historical status.
“The State government is taking up the land case issue seriously by constituting High Power Committee,” Zhimomi said, adding that the process should be allowed to proceed without unilateral action by the Railway department.
He maintained that the patta lands in Dimapur are supported by detailed records, including “scale mapping” and surveyed areas, and argued that ownership claims within such lands should be properly verified.
According to Zhimomi, any agency, department, company, NGO or individual claiming land within patta areas must possess the relevant “Mouza No., Dag No. and Patta No.” He asserted that “without this, it is a fake claim land within the patta lands.”
On non-cadastral land, particularly in village areas, Zhimomi said the authority of respective village authorities must also be taken into account. He said such claims should be “examined properly” before a final report is submitted to the government.
RALOA urged the Railway department not to take “any unilateral decision” that could supersede or provoke landowners, saying such action would also undermine the ongoing work of the High Power Committee.
“The Railway department should not take any unilateral decision to supersede or provoke the landowners or disown the honourable court orders and disrespect High Power Committee,” Zhimomi said.
He warned that RALOA would not remain a silent observer if eviction orders continued to be issued despite the court’s status quo orders and the State government’s ongoing efforts to resolve the dispute. “If it continues, the RALOA will not be a silent spectator anymore and shall fight for our legitimate right,” he said.
Zhimomi further cautioned that the Railway department would be held responsible for any escalation arising from the issue, alleging that its actions indicated a lack of willingness to seek a resolution. “If any issue is raised up, the Railway department shall be held fully responsible since they do not want solution to solve the problem,” he said.
RALOA reiterated that the land dispute should be resolved through proper verification of land records, the ongoing High Power Committee process and adherence to existing court orders rather than through repeated eviction notices.
