Construction of Thoubal-Kasom Khullen road : Asian Development Bank served notice
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 17 2014: Acting on a petition seeking the Government to assess land and properties affected and to be affected by the Thoubal-Kasom Khullen road and payment of compensation based on the assessment, the High Court of Manipur has issued notice to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the sponsor of the construction project.

Thoubal-Kasom Khullen road is 47 Kms long and it passes through Thoubal, Senapati and Ukhrul districts.

The road construction project is a part of the North Eastern State Roads Investment Programme (NESRIP) taken up by the DoNER Ministry.

The State Public Works Department and other units, which are the implementing agency of the programme, began construction of the road recently.

Chief Minister O Ibobi flagging off Thoubal-Kasom Khullen road construction work (File picture)

Six tribal village chiefs residing in Senapati and Thoubal, whose land and properties are affected by the road, are the petitioners.

The authorities gave no information about payment of compensation for the affected land and other properties to the already affected villagers as well as the villagers who are likely to be affected shortly by the road, lamented the petitioners.

Advocate BR Sharma, appearing on behalf of the petitioners, said that the implementing agencies of the road development project have taken up the project without following the standing guidelines prescribed by the DoNER ministry.

According to the project guidelines, the implementing agencies should first complete resettlement and rehabilitation process before the road construction work starts, the lawyer said.

The petitioners prayed before the Court to direct the respondents (implementing agencies) to initiate the process of assessing the value, size and quantities of lands/properties, already affected and liekly to be affected by the road construction project.

Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 and National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Policy (Ministry of Rural Development) 2007 for the purpose of payment of compensation to the petitioners should also be adhered to, sought the petitioners.

The interim prayer made by them is to direct the implementing agencies to stop construction of the said road until the properties to be affected and properties already affected are assessed or until the disposal of the petition.

Having heard the petition, the Court headed by Justice N Kotiswar Singh had on August 11 issued notice to the ADB asking to give its reply within four weeks.

The ADB, in the petition, is represented by country director, New Delhi.

The Court maintained that the interim prayer of the case would be heard in its next sitting.

Besides ADB, the other respondents in the case include the Centre, represented by DoNER Ministry, State Chief Secretary, Commissioner/Secretary and PWD Chief Engineer and Deputy Commissioners of Ukhrul and Senapati.