PDMGDVA demands release of land compensation in Phek district

DIMAPUR — The Phek District Maytas-Gayatri Damaged Victim Association (PDMGDVA) on Thursday flayed the state government over the delay in release of damage compensation despite three contempt orders from the Kohima bench of the Gauhati High Court.

Citing information received under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, the association also flayed Deputy Chief Minister, TR Zeliang, who is also in charge of National Highways, for his alleged “blatant lie” in the form of a ‘press rebuttal’ that appeared in the local print media on Nov. 27, 2023.

The association said that while the Dy. CM claimed that the files for release of compensation “never reached the Deputy CM’s Office for release of the funds,” the RTI revealed that the file was put up from the Office of the Commissioner and Secretary, Works and Housing for perusal of the Dy. CM (NH) on Nov. 3, 2023, the association stated, listing out several entries made by the Dy. CM on the file’s note sheet on Nov. 23 and the 28th last year.

Another matter the association flagged was the legal opinion submitted by the Addl. AG, Nagaland on Dec. 4, 2023, that the conditions laid out by the MoRTH with regard to recovery of compensation amount from the agency charges of the State PWD of Nagaland was in “gross violation and contravention of the Hon’ble Court Judgment & Order (CAV) dated 30.01.2023,” and that the state government should ask the ministry to waive the agency charges.

Stating that the clarification required by the State Government from the MoRTH has no legal basis, the association questioned the AAG as to why the state government is prolonging the agony of the victims, instead of challenging the MoRTH’s conditions in a competent court.

It went on to cite a similar public interest litigation which was disposed by the Court on grounds that the matter of recovery of compensation amount is between the State Government and MoRTH and the same cannot be an impediment for disbursement of the assessed compensation amount to the land owners concerned.

Stating that the Court had directed both the state government and the MoRTH to process the payment without any delay and without waiting for resolving their differences on the recovery of the sanctioned amount, it demanded that the state government release the sanctioned amount to the entitled beneficiaries of Phek district in the same manner.

Pointing out that the central government as well as the RO Guwahati has already released funds to the account of the Deputy Commissioner, Phek, and the DC “had written to the higher authority on 31st Jan 2024 seeking necessary clearance for payment of compensation,” it cautioned that the association would be “forced to resort to taking drastic measures of protest and action deemed fit,” if the payment is delayed.