SHILLONG, JULY 22: The opposition Voice of the People Party (VPP) on Monday demanded immediate stopping of the ongoing excavation of land by the National Highway & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) at Mawshun village.
In a letter to the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner RM Kurbah, VPP president and Nongkrem MLA Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit said, “In the light of the above findings and the appeal oof the village authorites, I would like to urge you to kindly intervene into the matter and immediately stop the ongoing excavation of land by the said company to prevent any untoward incident.”
“It is also learnt that the problem is more than meeting the eye, therefore it would be for the best interest of every concern that all the stakeholders need to be taken into confidence especially the village durbar and authorities to settle the matter once and for all,” he added.
Sharing the findings of the party leadership on the happenings at Mawshun village on July 17, Basaiawmoit said that the VPP on the request of the village authorities of Mawshun village made a visit to Mawshun village in order to get a firsthand information about the entire issue in connection with the acquisition of land for the improvement of the Shillong-Dawki road of NH-40.
“It was found that the NHIDCL has carried out excavation works in a land which has not been given and handed over by the land owners and also against the decision of the village durbar. Further, the NHIDCL has also destroyed some lands of the villagers which have not been acquired for the construction of the said road,” he said. He informed that the land owners had already filed the first information report (FIR) against the company for causing damage to the lands, trees, crops and vegetations.
“It is quite obvious that streams and many water bodies around the areas will be affected over and above the destruction of flora and fauna. It will also reduce the forest cover and badly affect the ecosystem in the area. We are also made to undersand that the village durbar was not against this road project, however they want that the same should be carried out through the existing road only,” Basaiawmoit stated.