Assam: Gauhati High Court directs NCHAC to clarify anomalies in compensation

Staff Reporter

Guwahati: The Gauhati High Court, taking cognizance of the claims of unfair compensation to those evicted during road construction in Dima Hasao, directed the N.C. Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) to clarify the claimed anomalies on the next date of hearing.

The bench of Chief Justice Vijay Bishnoi and Justice Kardak Ete was hearing a PIL (PIL/5/2024) in which the petitioners raised a grievance that the people belonging to the Scheduled Tribe (Hills) community in the district of Dima Hasao have been evicted from their land in the name of Axom Mala Road Construction without paying any compensation.

The Secretary and Revenue Officer (W), N.C. Hills Autonomous Council, one of the respondents, filed an affidavit on April 22, 2024, claiming that around 1,543 affected persons whose land has been acquired have already been paid compensation in lieu of the acquisition of their land for road construction. A detailed chart indicating the names of the beneficiaries along with the names of their villages was also annexed to the said affidavit, it was stated.

In reply to the said affidavit, one of the petitioners filed an affidavit on May 21, 2024, mentioning as a matter of fact that the list of persons submitted by the Secretary and Revenue (W) N.C. Hills Autonomous Council, along with the affidavit, is not correct. It was pointed out that 66 of the beneficiaries from the said list, to whom the compensation was disbursed, were part of the N.C. Hills Autonomous Council itself and were authorized to disburse the compensation to the affected persons.

Moreover, it was submitted by the counsel for the petitioners that the distribution of compensation to the affected persons by the N.C. Hills Autonomous Council is not fair and is required to be probed.

The bench directed the counsel appearing for the N.C. Hills Autonomous Council to clarify the anomaly in payment of compensation as pointed out by the counsel for the petitioners through the affidavit-in-reply dated May 21, 2024, filed by the petitioner mentioned above. The court also directed that the matter be listed along with PIL No. 66/2023 on June 27, 2024.

Also Read: Assam: NCHAC CEM Debolal Gorlosa inaugurates slew of development projects (sentinelassam.com)

Also watch: