Congress alleges misuse of fund in TAH compensation

OUR CORRESPONDENT

ITANAGAR, June 25: The State Congress on Monday alleged embezzlement of huge amount of public fund by the ruling BJP Government in the State in the name of paying compensation against construction of Trans-Arunachal Highway (TAH).

The party alleged that an amount of Rs 245 crore was misused in the name of paying compensation to the land owners in two stretches of the TAH by the government in connivance with the district administration.

"There are reports that an amount of Rs 47 crore was paid as compensation to the land owners of the TAH stretch between Joram and Koloriang in Kra Daadi and Kurung Kumey districts and that even names of non-tribals also figured in the list which have raised doubts in the minds of the genuine land owners of the districts," Arunachal Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) President Takam Sanjoy alleged.

Sanjoy while talking to reporters at Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan here demanded that the Government should come out clean by instituting an inquiry by a retired judge of High Court into the matter.

He further alleged that an amount of Rs 198 crore was also misappropriated by the Government while paying compensation to the land owners of the Yazali-Ziro-Raga stretch of the highway and demanded a proper investigation into the issue.

The Congress further criticized the State Government for enhancing the rate of land revenue from the existing Rs 1 to Rs 600 per square meter for normal land and from Rs 2 to Rs 800 for commercial land.

Stating that the Arunachal Pradesh (Land Settlement and Records) (Amendment) Act 2018 which was passed by the State Assembly would have a detrimental effect on the people, Sanjoy made it clear that the Congress completely rejected and opposed the new rates and further demanded the Government to revise it before the election slated next year.