Guwahati: Chakma landowners in Mizoram’s Lawngtlai district have voiced their concern over the unprecedented delay in the release of compensation they were supposed to receive in return for the land the Ministry of Home Affairs had acquired for the construction of the Border outpost.
David Chakma, a resident of Kamalanagar, Chawngte, wrote a letter drawing the attention of the authorities to the plight of 456 Chakma families who have lost their land for the construction of security assets in the bordering region.
According to the letter, the land that the government of India acquired was used for Jhum cultivation (The traditional cultivation methods of many of the tribal communities of North East).
The land acquisition process was facilitated through NPCC Ltd., a public-sector undertaking. Despite the Chakma Autonomous District Council (CADC) administration’s efforts, which submitted a draft bill to the MHA in 2020 requesting compensation amounting to Rs 44 crore for the affected landowners, the lack of funds has hindered the delivery of compensation to the affected families.
David Chakma complained that the MHA’s inaction infringes upon the constitutional right to property of the Chakma tribes, as enshrined in Article 300A.
Moreover, the loss of land for the construction of border outposts has severely impeded their ability to sustain themselves through traditional jhum cultivation practices.
The Chakma tribe, constituting a substantial population in Mizoram with a count of less than one lakh, reportedly facing significant challenges in border areas, including the absence of essential infrastructure facilities such as potable water, educational institutions, roadways, and medical facilities, the letter mentioned.
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