SHILLONG, AUG 6: The ngos opposed to the construction of the New Shillong Township (NST) raised their voice against the survey conducted in a hush hush manner by the state government on Tuesday for the proposed construction of 40 meter (width) road in the controversial NST.
CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing told reporters, “We strongly opposed to the move of the government to construct the 40 meter road even when there is already an existing road in the area.” She had rushed to the spot where officials of different department were conducting survey in Mawdiangdiang.
The survey was conducted by the officials representing the New Shillong Township Development Agency (NSTDA), Urban Affairs, Revenue and Forest department.
Kharshiing complained that many villages that wanted roads is yet to get it as the government cites lack of fund. She, however, added, “The government is spending public money for something that is not needed.”
Kharshiing’s take on the NST is that the government move to set up the NST to decongest the city will only lead to tribal land alienation.
The ngos has demanded that the state government should scrap the proposed land acquisition for the NST as well as taking back the land that was sold to the Civil Services Officers Housing Co-operative Society. The land was given to bureaucrats at Re 1 per sq ft at Mawdiangdiang in the proposed NST.
RTI FINDINGS: Meanwhile an RTI finding revealed that the Meghalaya government has allotted land measuring 775.3 acres to various groups including institutions, co-operative society, universities and others at the New Shillong Township (NST).
The RTI reveals that the government has allotted land to 27 groups ‘free of cost’ and ‘land on cost’ to 13 groups from 2003 to 2013.
The 27 group who got free land includes Tourism department for setting up of IHM at Mawdiangdiang (20 acres), MUDA at Diengiong (0.37 acres), Home police department at Diengiong (3 acres), Home (civil) defence & Home Guard) department – Mawdiangdiang (10 acres), Meghalaya Administrative training institute (MATI) – Diengiong (5 acres), Health department for Nursing Institute – Mawkasiang (2.60 acres), Health Department for PHFI – Mawkasiang (22.30 acres), Education department for IIM – Umsawli Mawpat (120 acres), Education department for EFLU – Umsawli Mawpat (50 acres), Education department for Central Institute of Hindi – Mawdiangdiang (3 acres), Sericulture & Weaving for NIFT – Umsawli Mawpat (20 acres), Urban affairs department for landfill site – Umsawli Mawpat (54 acres), IT department for ITC Park – Umsawli Mawpat (80 acres), Art & Culture Department for Music Academy – Mawkasiang (4.90 acres), Health department for RPC Hospital – Umsawli Mawpat (20 acres).
However, the land allotted for free and are yet to be handed over includes to United Nation Resource Centre for NE – Umsawli (1 acre), Law department for Judiciary building – Umsawli (5 acres), Sports and Youth Affairs department football academy – Mawdiangdiang (80 acres), Home police department for fire service (5 acres), Social Welfare department for Juvenile Justice – Mawkasiang (3 acres), Home police for CBI office (2 acres), Agriculture department for Central Water Commission – Umsawli (5 acres), GAD for office and staff quarter (10 acres), employment provident fund organization – Umsawli (1 acre), Tourism department for Urban Park – Mawdiangdiang (10 acres), urban affairs department for housing complex- Mawkasiang (10 acres) and urban affairs department for shopping complex at Mawkasiang (10 acres).
Out of the 13 who were allotted land on cost, the government has so far handed over 45.01 acres of land at Mawpat at the cost of Rs 19, 60, 636 to the Civil Service Society in 2009, NEEPCO for 50 acres at Mawtari at the cost of Rs 7, 58, 10,000 in 2012 and Nagaland House (2.27 acres) at Diengiong at the cost of Rs 5, 00,000.
However, the RTI also revealed out of the 40 land beneficiaries the government has handed over land to only 18 beneficiaries.- By Our Reporter
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