Oustees may tilt scales in Renukaji

Ambika Sharma

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Solan, October 26

Dam oustees can play a decisive role in the forthcoming Assembly elections in the Renukaji constituency. They will convene a meeting on November 10 to decide which party to support in the elections.

The Renuka Dam Jan Sangharsh Samiti, which has been spearheading the agitation, had threatened to launch an agitation. Its key demands are proper compensation and rehabilitation and employment.

Yogender Kapila, samiti president, says that they will meet on November 10, two days before the elections, to decide their strategy.

Sitting MLA Vinay Kumar had won the seat on Congress ticket consecutively in the past two elections. The BJP has fielded Narayan Singh from the seat on the recommendation of the Hattee community.

The Renuka dam oustees are disappointed because jobs have been provided on an outsourced basis to outsiders. This has become a contentious issue in the constituency.

The dam authorities have taken no concrete steps for the rehabilitation of displaced people. They have also not provided facilities to 1,142 families of 17 panchayats.

Kapila says that the oustees at a meeting in December last year were assured of settling their pending disputes and providing cards to the affected families but nothing has been done till now.

As per the relief and rehabilitation plan, homeless families should be provided compensation as per the plinth area rate determined by the PWD. A compensation of Rs 7 lakh is being provided for the construction of a house on a 150 sq m plot while the land price per biswa in the district ranges from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 15 lakh. They demand the rate to be changed.