Land owners oppose Mawphu hydro project

From A Reporter

SHILLONG, Nov 3: A few land owners of Theiddieng village of East Khasi Hills district have opposed second phase of the proposed Mawphu Hydro Electric Project.

The land owners asserted on Friday that they will not allow the State government or NEEPCO to implement the project as it is being executed in their property without their knowledge and consent.

Speaking to reporters in the city, S Syierlait, a land owner, said “NEEPCO has damaged my property at Rangshi village under Elaka Theiddieng by constructing a tunnel without any prior consent.”

She demanded that the NEEPCO should stop all construction work at her property and properly fill up the land that has been damaged due to construction of the tunnel.

“Even the headman of the village has not consulted with me regarding this project,” she said, adding that the headman along with the NEEPCO have suppressed the rights of the land owners in the area.

“I will not allow a single tree to be felled or my land to be used for the project. The land should be immediately filled up. And until our demands are fulfilled there will be no peace in the area,” she warned.

She said before any such project is carried out, consent from the land owners is mandatory where it involves private property.

She said: “The headman of the village is acting as if he is the owner of the property. That’s why he didn’t feel the need of our consent.”

Stating that the project has affected many land owners in the area, she said, “Local MLA and MDC PN Syiem should intervene and immediately resolve the problems encountered by the people.”

“We have written a letter to our local MLA on this issue. However, till date we haven’t received any response from him,” she said.