Itanagar, The Siang District Headquarters Settlement Committee (SDHQSC) on Wednesday requested the state government to reconsider the decision of the cabinet meeting held on March 8, 2018, to shift Siang’s district headquarters from Pangin to Boleng citing Boleng does not have sufficient land for further expansion of infrastructures and town planning activities.
Addressing a press conference, Chairman, Tayu Jerang said that the Siang district was established in the year 2014 but the district is yet to have a full-fledged district headquarter and due to politics the district headquarter issue has been a matter of concern.
He also expressed dismay over the feasibility report submitted by the High power committee led by then Chief Secretary, Satya Gopal for the establishment of the district headquarters of Siang at Boleng and since then the matter has been a political issue.
Jerang claimed that the actual land size for the notified area (Boleng) recommended by the High Power Committee for setting up the district headquarters is 6500 hectares while the District administration was able to acquire only 424.2034 hectares of land during the land acquisition exercise.
He said that the notified area for the establishment of DHQ comprises Renngo Punying, Babo, Mareng, Hingeeng, Mukling, and Tarkung area having total land of only 424.2034 hectares that too lying in different locations and does not have additional land for further expansion of infrastructures in future.
“referring to Pangin, it is well connected by roads, the land acquisition process has already been completed and the public has donated a total of 1926 hectares of land free from any legal disagreements. On top of that, Even the villagers of Komsing village wholeheartedly donated 1100 hectares of land for construction of the Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) approved by the Ministry of civil aviation,” he said.
Stating that the committee is not against the establishment of headquarters at Boleng, Gerang suggested that when Boleng does not have enough land whereas Pangin had 1926 hectares of land available then Pangin should be made the district headquarters of Siang.
Justifying their demands to reconsider the decision of the Cabinet meeting of March 8, 2018, Jerang said that the committee had no objection to the establishment of the district headquarters at Boleng, but cited that “without the availability of sufficient land how necessary infrastructure will be built at Boleng”.
“We do not object, but for the construction of the district headquarters, the people of Boleng have to donate and surrender the land as per the deed signed between the state government and them,” he observed.
“Where infrastructure will be set up when the donated land is too small to accommodate the necessary infrastructures and when notified areas are all lying scattered in different locations,” he questioned.
In his address, President, Nanyang Taggu requested the state government to direct Deputy Commissioner, Siang District to restart the land acquisition process to acquire notified 6500 hectares of land at Boleng as agreed by villagers since 424.2034 hectares acquired by DA is insufficient to house all infrastructure required.
He further requested the state government to look into the matter seriously in the interest of the people of the Siang District.