Oustees submit memo to MP

Our Correspondent

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Sundernagar, April 10

Hundreds of people affected by the acquisition of land for the four-laning project between Dehar and Pungh in Sundernagar submitted a memorandum to Mandi MP Ram Swarup Sharma yesterday.

They alleged that hundreds of oustees were not given the benefits provided to them as per the new Land Acquisition Act, 2013, though it was applicable to them. They told the MP that the district administration had already started evicting them from the land.

According to the directions of the Ministry of Surface Transport, if the possession of land has not been delivered before January 1, 2015, the provisions of the new Act will apply.

“At present, none of the land owners were given possession of land, meaning that the provisions of the new Act will apply to them, but the land acquisition officer was not giving the benefits of the new Act to them,” they said.

It has been urged in the memorandum that only the land owners of this patch were not getting the benefits of the new Act and in other areas, the oustees were being given benefits of the new land acquisition Act.

The MP yesterday visited the Pungh locality of Sundernagar where the agitating land oustees were sitting on a protest.

He said the Central Government had already issued directions that the oustees be given compensation and all facilities as per the new land acquisition Act. He assured them that he would convene a meeting of officials and discuss the matter, adding that if needed, he would take up the matter with the Centre so that the oustees might get the benefits as per the new land Act.