DIPR
Dimapur, February 25
To take stock of the occurrence of land encroachments, Secretary of Transport Department, Lithrongla G Chishi, accompanied by the General Manager of the NST, Senti Pongener, and departmental officials along with deputy commissioner, Rovilato Mor, and LRSO physically inspected the NST’s land at Lerie in Kohima town. The land measured approximately 60.2 acres on February 20.
The land in question houses the divisional workshop and the staff quarters of NST Kohima which was allegedly trespassed into by private individuals inside the compensated and acquired government land.
A DIPR report stated that the chain-linked fencing demarcating the boundary put up by the Department on the western side of the acquired land had been removed by the encroachers and the distinct boundary of the rivulet in the south, depression line on the north adjoining the police reserve (project) and the Dimapur - Kohima-Imphal Road of NH-39/29 in the East, have all been encroached upon by private individuals having constructed permanent buildings with occupants, permanent structures for construction, temporary structures and unoccupied but fenced areas, claiming ownerships inspite of administrative restraining orders from time to time.
A note from the general manager of Nagaland State Transport of Dimapur, Senti Pongener, stated that the encroachers included third-party individuals who had sold or purchased from relatives of the land owners, or resold to buyers and individuals of government allotments. Some of the encroachers had settled/ occupied the land for years together in constructed building or hutments. They numbering about 20 households, the note stated. The encroachers had even formed a union of their own to thwart any action against them from any corner.
The inspection was aimed at cancelling government allotments, and initiating eviction and dismantling of permanent and temporary structures as well as to stop further encroachments in the future. The matter would be taken up at the highest level of the government including legal aspects to set an exemplary action against encroachments of government land in the state, it was informed.
