Compensation demanded for landowners

From A Correspondent

SHILLONG, May 15: The Hill Farmers’ Union (HFU) along with the land owners of the Umtru Hydel Power Project had demanded compensation and regularisation of the casual workers at the project.

On Monday, a delegation of the HFU along with the landowners and casual workers of the New Umtru Hydel Project met the Joint Secretary of the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) and demanded the payment of the remaining amount of compensation to land owners of the new project at Umtru in Dehal Ri-Bhoi District and also to regularise the appointments of the casual workers.

Speaking to reporters, the landowners informed that they stand by the commitment made by the state government for land compensation even as they said that they should be paid as per the prevailing rate and also to regularize to posts of at least 22 casual workers engaged in the project.

The union also demanded that the amount of money for land compensation should be raised to Rs 250 per sq. m because at present due inflation the earlier rate would not be feasible.

“Earlier an amount of Rs 30 per sq. m was agreed upon way back in the year 2005 but presently, the rate will not sufficient for livelihood sustence in the present times,” the landowners said.

Meanwhile, president of the HFU, Commander Shangpliang informed that the union has written to the MeECL authorities to accept the demands.

Shangpliang also expressed his surprise that the MeECL Joint Secretary was not aware about the public hearing and also the agreement made by the engineers of the corporation involved at the New Umtru Project on February 24, 2015.

As per the agreement made on February 24, 2015 between the land owner and officer-in-charge of New Umtru Project, the MeECL agreed not to raise the water level up to 128m until and unless the Corporation has paid the land compensation.