This is in response to the letter issued by one Tana Taha Tara of Hoj where he had alleged that Land Revenue and Settlement Officer (LRSO) Yupia, had arbitrarily paid compensation for his building structures thereby putting a question mark on think thank of the society to ponder upon and also plead over his deprived right and raise voice against injustice meted to him by LRSO.
Let me clarify to the esteemed readers against the baseless claim of this person. I joined the office of Deputy Commissioner, Papum Pare as LRSO, on 20th March 2009. After a period of about 15 months I was formally handed over the charge of land branch by then DC, Nandini Paliwal, on 10th June 2010. Till then I was quite dark about the Trans- Highway Project because one senior officer in the capacity of EAC (LM) was looking after all the land matters under Papum Pare. Accordingly, compensation assessment involving the line department of Horticulture, Agriculture, Power etc. was prepared under the overall supervision of then Land in-charge, EAC (LM). The assessment for standing structure along the entire stretch of Proposed Right of Way (PRoW) was assessed by PWD, Doimukh Division, which was meant only for sanctioning of the DPR at the ministry concerned.
The MoRTH sanctioned the DPR for Pappu-Yupia-Hoj-Potin stretch on 29th Meeting of HPC at New Delhi on 21st Oct’2010. The PWD, submitted the final strip- alignment plan with sanctioned copy of DPR for acquisition of land for proposed dist. connectivity-cum-Trans Arunachal Highway on 11th Oct’ 2010 in the office of Deputy Commissioner, Papum Pare. The Deputy Commissioner, Papum Pare, then handed over the project of Trans- Arunachal Highway to me on 14th Oct’ 2010 for early resolving of compensation package to the affected land owners along the propose Right of Way as per the drawing /strip plan submitted by PWD, through proper hearing and inviting claim and objections and subsequently disposal. The compensation was to be paid only for the land and assets falling along the strip plan (RoW) and not beyond that. The rate for the various categories of land and assets were notified by the Government of Arunachal Pradesh. The PWD (Highway) requested for immediate handing over of the land for execution of work by the construction agency as entire machinery of the construction agency was lying idle for more than a month. Upon order from DC, the first Ground assessment to verify the assets falling along the RoW began on 20th Oct’2010 for entire stretch of Papu-Yupia Hoj and Potin, which lasted up to 8th Dec 2010 Jointly by representatives of PWD (Highway) Division Doimukh, and Land Management Team, Yupia, under supervision of LRSO. Before that Public notice was published by DC, Papum Pare repeatedly through media that affected land owners must present on the assessment day and sign the assessment sheet.
Accordingly, the affected land owners along the entire stretch were made to sign the assessment sheet and photographed on the spot with their assets after showing them what was actually included along the RoW of proposed alignment of Highway in presence of respective ASM & GB’s. Those land owners like Tana Taha, who forcefully entered their assets beyond RoW on the assessment sheet was later on edited/deleted during the final preparation of compensation amount.
In case of Tana Taha Tara, when the assessment team reached his plot on 3rd Dec 2010, only 270 Sqmtr of his land was affected. There was 2 number of double storey building of which one was completed, measuring 8 X 12 mtr and other was U/C, measuring 10.8 X 8.3mtr about 40% approx.( still can be seen at Hoj) of which only 2.5 mtr falls under RoW and the proposed drainage and carpeting area was still 5mtr approx away from his U/C building for which he was getting payments. We told him that we will compensate only for the U/C building which is falling under the RoW.
On 4th Jan’2011, Tana Taha Tara, submitted a petition to DC, Papum Pare that his other building had been excluded by LRSO and demanded it to be included and compensate. Subsequently on 5th Jan again he submitted an application with photographs of his building seeking inclusion of his building which was outside the alignment. The Deputy Commissioner, Papum Pare then told him that his claim will be verified on the ground during final site verification and accordingly on 6th Jan’ 2011, accompanied by EE, AE & JE, Highway (PWD), Doimukh and SRK, Const.Pvt. Ltd, the DC, Papum Pare made a final site visit starting from Papu Nallah to Potin (KM 0.00 to 53).During the site inspection, the team inspected his building on the spot and straight way rejected his claim for inclusion of his other building which was not affected under the alignment. He insists if his other building is not to be compensate then he is not going to part away with his U/C building. At this the PWD team suggest that if he insist then administration can avoid his U/C building because it is affected only under road reserve(RoW) and not under actual Corridor of Impact (CoI) and the drainage and carpeting area is still 5mtr approx away from his U/C building. To this he was assured by authority present that his U/C building will not be affected at any cost during execution of Highways and administration is not going to compensate for his building if he has any objection to it. Next day on 7th Jan, Tana Taha Tara, came to my office chamber at 11:00 am in Yupia, and weep in front of me to consider his U/C building and plead me to pay according to the assessed amount prepared. I told him since authority has taken decision in conformity with his unwillingness to part away his 40% U/C building and so compensation doesn’t arise for his U/C building now. At this he said he will write a re-consideration petition and will submit undertaking to DC, Papum Pare that he is satisfied with the 40% compensation amount for his U/C building and will not claim for his other building which was not affected under RoW. He also requested me to plead DC, on his behalf for consideration.
Based on his application and undertaking, which he said was done in my presence, (actually I was not present), the authority had considered for release of payment as per joint ground assessment report which amount to Rs 16,17,300/- out of which 23,200/- was the value of his land and rest value of assets including Bolder wall. He took his compensation amount on 18th Jan’2011 at 2.00 Pm accompanied by his wife in presence of Judicial Magistrate, First class Yupia, willingly and signed the Land Transfer Certificate.
But after taking the compensation amount today he is playing the drama and leveling allegation of such stature against me. He didn’t know that it is the district administration that handles the compensation matter and acquires the land as per requirement of the requiring department and after making compensation payment if any, then hand over the same to requiring agency for its purpose. He had alleged me of threatening to change the alignment of Highway at will. I would like to clarify that LRSO’s or any of District administration officer’s have nothing to do with change of alignment because our part is just to acquire as per master plan submitted by requiring agency and then formal handing over after observing due acquisition process.
Fourthly, his claim for payment of Rs 75 lacs as per DPR does not hold ground as his building is outside RoW. Here I want to inform Taha that the compensation amount of Rs 16,17,300/ which he had received vide cheque no 792026 on 18th Jan’2011 from the Office Deputy Commissioner, Papum Pare Dist. Yupia, have been stopped for making necessary clearance for payment. The concern bank had been issued necessary directives by DC, Papum Pare in this regard and re- survey with PWD (Highway) will be soon carried out on his plot.
Last but not the least, I give TanaTaha, to publicly apologize and give clarification within a period of 4 days from now failing which a defamation suit will be filed by undersign in the court of law for publicly defaming my name without any valid reason and for trying to malign my hard earned reputation and causing mental agony and disturbance not only to me but to all of family members, relatives, near and dear ones.
Also I would like to request the nodal agency for Highway, PWD, Division Doimukh, to clarify regarding the DPR in the greater interest of public because there are more people like Taha, who think it to be final and are only after sanctioned DPR in anticipation of more money and have become a headache for land acquisition officer in particular and district administration in general.