Politicians’ grip on land, vacancies and appointments find lament

EMN
Dimapur, May 27

It is no secret that in Nagaland toady, politicians–from ministers to local legislators–control and bring into manipulation ‘almost everything’ in the appointment of even grade-IV employees while even state government officials have to look on haplessly. This truth was the cause of lament for Chozuba Viillage Council. Chozuba village is in Phek district.  Chairman of Chozuba Village Council, Khrinyio Leruo, issued a letter on Wednesday, May 27, lamented the monopoly politicians in the state have come to have over the economic aspects of livelihood and land, with special reference to livelihood opportunities and employments.
According the community leader, “there is not a single inch of land without a landowner” in Nagaland and “not a single citizen is without a small land of his own and thus, people live in peace without disturbing each other since the time immemorial”.
“However with the advancement of modern civilization government is doing all round development by acquiring land from the land owners either in the form of land donation or sale. Yet all the acquired lands are more or less free particularly in rural area and unrecognized towns,” the press release said.
“However, there is not a single inch of land is compensated or bought in the recognized towns and cities. Therefore, in lieu of the land being freely donated by the landowners should be compensated in the form of IV grade employment or offer of mini contract works like repairing or supply works,” Leruo asserted in his statement.
“However as of now, the so called politicians, MLAs or ministers control everything even in appointment of Grade IV or fixed paid employee leaving the head of department (HOD) and bureaucrats as a mere spectators, peon or a messenger depriving them from exercising their power of appointing authority,” the chairman said in lament.
He explained: “Everything is controlled and handled by such big bosses from top to bottom. So also, whenever a Grade IV post falls vacant due to retirement or dead as the case may be many applications are received claiming to be a landowner refusing to compromise, which often lead to physical confrontation. In such a situation the village authority/leaders face an embarrassing situation who try their best in solving the problem who is to be first and who is next and recommended such cases and forwarded to the competent authority through proper channel for their necessary action”.
When it reaches the department, the Chozuba leader said, the so-called political bosses “never look into details in the file noting but randomly approve the wrong candidate as apolitical favour depriving the rightful and genuine land owners by ignoring and total disregard to the decision and recommendation of the local authority but thrown them into dustbin as if the land belongs to them which is very discriminating and hurting”.
The village council is a government set up under the Area & Village Act of 1974 as amended from time to time passed by the state government of Nagaland. The council is the smallest government at the grassroot. The village council tackles problems ‘before it goes to the higher authority and therefore, government should also respect the village level authority and things according to the procedure,” Leruo stated.
“Therefore, when any person approaches them for appointment on landownership basis the case should be verified whether it comes from the village authority and if not, insist the right procedure lest the situation goes out of the hand of the authority”.
The council chairman also referred to provision “for the landowners where land has been acquired by government subject to land compensation as has been laid down in the Article 371-A, Clause (I)(a)(IV) of the constitution of India”.
So also, in the Nagaland Land requisition & Acquisition Act of 1965, the right of the landowner should be protected and not deprived, Khrinyio Leruo added.