Dimapur, Nov. 28 (EMN): Minister for PWD (Housing) Tongpang Ozukum has expressed ‘shock’ over the reported proposal of Meghalaya’s Urban Affairs department for swapping of land where construction of Nagaland Medical Lodge is ongoing, opposite to NEIGRIHMS, Shillong.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the minister said that Nagaland PWD has all the legal papers basing on which land was bought on lease for 30 years; and few items of work have already been executed.
‘Therefore Urban Affairs department, Meghalaya, should give a serious thought to their proposal for swapping of land of Nagaland Medical Lodge with another plot of land after eight years of the lease agreement. This is not an issue between Nagaland (PWD) Housing department and Urban Affairs department, Meghalaya but a matter of trust and confidence between two governments.
“We are yet to receive their letter officially but we have seen it on WhatsApp. A proposal letter was written by Urban Affairs department, Meghalaya on September 30, 2020, addressed to the principal secretary of Home, Nagaland, offering a new plot of land measuring 2.34 acres, which is located half a kilometre away from the present location and a fresh lease agreement to be signed again with the government of Meghalaya. The Urban Affairs department, Meghalaya, also offers to bear the expenses of the works already executed at the Nagaland Medical Lodge, including the boundary walls at the proposed new plot with the same specifications. But Nagaland (PWD) Housing department cannot accept such proposals after eight years of the lease agreement,’ Ozukum stated.
He reminded that a ‘foundation stone laying programme for the commencement of the remaining works’ scheduled to be held on July 11, 2018, had to cancelled ‘due to some local problems’.
‘However, the chief minister of Meghalaya gave assurance to the chief minister of Nagaland to resolve their local issues at the earliest and allow us to go ahead with the programme as planned. Following which, I have also met the chief minister of Meghalaya, the home minister, minister in-charge of Urban Affairs and some other leaders on the same issue,’ he said.
During the second meeting with Meghalaya’s then minister for Urban Affairs, Hamletson Dohling, on November 14, 2019, an expected proposal to swap the land ‘citing some local issues’ was presented, said Ozukum.
‘However, we made our stand very clear that their proposal is unacceptable since every procedure, right from beginning of acquiring the land, was done legally and with mutual understanding. The proposal letter written by Urban Affairs department, Meghalaya was a big surprise to us because we were expecting a positive response from them, considering the discussions and negotiations done with Meghalaya government on many occasions and most importantly, the assurance given by the chief minister of Meghalaya himself, followed by a declaration to go ahead with the proposed resumption of construction works at Medical Lodge by the then home minister, James Sangma, during the 50 years celebration of Nagaland House, Shillong on October 26, 2019,’ he said.
The minister expressed hope that the Meghalaya government would honour the lease agreement signed in 2013 and allow the government of Nagaland to go ahead with the pending works without further delay.