Aizawl: Essential supplies have been partly hit in Mizoram due to an indefinite blockade organised by landowners along the National Highway-306, the lifeline that links the landlocked state with the rest of the country, an official said on Friday.
Over 1,700 landowners along the stretch of NH- 306 and NH-6 between Vairengte and Kawnpui villages in northern Mizoram’s Kolasib district bordering Assam have been blocking incoming vehicles via Assam at Vairengte, the first border village in Mizoram, since Thursday.
They have been demanding compensation for their lands, which will be damaged by the proposed widening of the national highways. The agitators, however, allowed all outgoing vehicles to cross the inter-state border and also inter-district or intra-village movement within the strike areas.
Mizoram food, civil supplies and consumer aíffairs director Andrew H. Vanlaldika said the supply of essential commodities from Assam has been partly hit although it has not been completely halted.
He said the state, for now, was not facing a shortage as essential commodities could somehow be transported via an alternate route in Rengtekawn- Bairabi side contiguous to Assam’s Hailakandi district.
People familiar with the matter said that the agitators are also planning to block the Rengtekawn-Bairabi road.
Vanlaldika said that essential supplies might be severely hit if the agitators stage a blockade at Rengtekawn on the National Highways between Vairengte and Kawnpui.
The NH-6 and 306 Land Owners’ Association claimed there are about 1,735 private landowners along the stretch of four projects (packages- 3 to 6) between Vairengte to Kawnpui road where the widening of national highways will be undertaken.
The projects will be executed by National Infrastructure and Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).
The land owners’ association secretary H. Lalrinawma said that the landowners will receive compensation amounting to Rs. 150 crore for their lands to be damaged by the projects.
Although 50-75 per cent of the compensation amount meant for landowners in projects 3 and 4 has been credited to the Competent Authority for Land Acquisition (CALA)’s account and was approved for release, the NHIDCL has instructed the authority to put it on hold as the state forest department informed the construction company that a large part of the areas (between projects 3 and 6) fall under notified forest area, he said.
Forest department officials, however, said that compensation is not within the purview of the department and the NHIDCL can give compensation to any claimant as per its wish.
The NHIDCL has already submitted applications for clearance in 3 out of 8 projects on the NH 303 and NH-6 from Vairengte-Kawnpui-Sairang near Aizawl, they said.
“Though the matter (forest clearance) is under process it can’t be expedited due to technical issues in the PARIVESH portal, which is being upgraded,” one of the top officials said.
The official, however, refused to comment on the stretch of notified forest area along NH-306 and NH-6.
NHIDCL executive director (Project) Virender Kumar Jakhar said the compensation was delayed for release due to a dispute between the state forest department and revenue departments.
“On our part, there is no problem to release compensation. The main problem is a dispute between forest and revenue departments,” he said. Officials of the state revenue department could not be contacted.
Meanwhile, government offices within the Hachhek assembly constituency in west Mizoram’s Mamit district bordering Assam and Tripura remained shut for four consecutive days on Friday due to agitation by areca growers in the area.
The growers have been demanding the state government take measures to ensure that their products are transported and sold in neighbouring Assam.
The areca nut growers society on Friday submitted a representation to President Droupadi Murmu seeking her help.
The growers’ society general secretary Lalremruata Khiangte said they will start blocking inter-state highways and intra-state highways from Saturday.
The agitators will go on an indefinite complete shutdown from November 9 if the government fails to take action on or before November 8, he said.
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