ITANAGAR, Jul 28: Even before the start of work on Itanagar to Jote 2 lane highway, the villagers of Batt village under the aegis of Batt village land affected forum have appealed to the state government to provide compensation to the people whose properties will be damaged due to construction of highway.
Talking to the press here on Wednesday, veteran PPA leader and chairman of the forum Kamen Ringu urged the state government to pay compensation to genuine affected people.
“We are not demanding very high compensation. There are very few assets, altogether hardly 10 to 15 permanent or semi-permanent structures and around 102 OBT dwelling of the poor people which will be affected. It won’t cost much as compensation, and the relief or compensation paid to the poor dwelling owners would be a great relief for them to make new dwelling in another location,” said Kamen Ringu.
He also said people of Batt village were not part of the decision made by villages of Sangdupota circle to donate land free of cost for the construction of Itanagar to Jote 2 lane highway. “When the decision was taken during the visit of Chief Minister Pema Khandu few years ago we were not involved. District administration should immediately start dialect with locals of Batt village and resolve land issue before starting the construction work,” he added. However, he made it clear that the people of Batt village welcome the decision of the state government to convert Itanagar-Batt-Jote Road into a 2 lane highway and will extend all possible help for early completion of the project.
Meanwhile an official of PWD Doimukh division made it clear that compensation will not be paid to anyone in the stretch from Itanagar to upto Jote. “District administration has already acquired land and there is no provision for compensation. Everybody will have to cooperate. State government has made it clear that if there is no land there will be no road,” the official stated.
He also informed that a tender process is going on and work will be awarded by the end of August. The construction of Itanagar to Jote 2 lane highway is expected to start in October.
