OUR CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: A social organization in Arunachal Pradesh has raised strong objections to what it described as arbitrary and selective physical re-verification of land and property compensation under the Lada–Sarli stretch of Frontier Highway project, alleging that the process lacks transparency and fairness. In a representation to the chief secretary on Monday, EKSWCO’s Lada–Sarli Frontier Highway Scam Committee chairman Chopa Cheda said the re-verification exercise, which began on January 14, has excluded a key stretch under Package-I of the project.
The omission, he alleged, has triggered serious concerns, as no justification has been provided for keeping the stretch out of scrutiny despite a government order dated December 23 last year.
Cheda alleged that the exclusion disproportionately covers areas dominated by the Sajolang (Miji) community while focusing verification on Nyishi-inhabited belts, calling it discriminatory and detrimental to the credibility of the entire exercise.
“This selective approach sends a disturbing message that irregularities exist only in certain communities, which is factually untenable,” he said, adding that corruption and manipulation do not follow community boundaries.
The organization further claimed that the selective verification has fuelled suspicion of political interference and attempts to shield alleged irregularities from public scrutiny, warning that such practices could deepen public distrust and distort public perception.
The Rs 130 crore land compensation scam related to the ambitious project, had sparked public outcry in the state relating to the alleged irregularities in land compensation disbursed for the 125.55-km stretch of the highway, which is aimed at improving connectivity along the Indo-China border.
According to complaints, compensation was allegedly paid for non-existent land parcels, land values were inflated, and several genuine landowners were excluded from the payment process.
The state Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), probing the case had earlier, arrested the land revenue and settlement officer of East Kameng district in connection with the alleged fraud.
Protest groups, however, have termed the action selective and demanded that all those involved, including brokers, senior officials and bankers, be brought under the ambit of the investigation.
Chief Minister Pema Khandu, however, asserted that strict action will be taken against all those found guilty in the alleged land compensation scam, and stated that the government’s one-man inquiry committee has already submitted its report.
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