Haflong August 11-The BG Line Compensation Demand Committee (BGLCDC) demand adequate compensation from the Railway authority against the land and properties damaged in the ongoing construction of the BG Railway line in between Dilimpur, near Manderdisa and Ditokcherra and against the loss of their valuable land and horticultural garden in heavy landslide due to wanton earth cutting in the name of BG construction and the land taken for the construction. (This is an exclusive report, given to this journalist by a Senior Citizen of Haflong as well as the Adviser to BGLCDC N.G.Gorlosa, the President of BGLCDC Probon Langthasa and Secretary Rupon Bathari at Haflong).
This demand give rise to a far reaching finding over the issue of land ownership. Whether it is the Railway Authority or the Council. It is not a mere demand of the affected people but it is also the prestige of the Dima Hasao Autonomous Council. How the council is silent over the matter is something to be ponder over. That the Railway Authority is on the verse of taking over the vast area of the revenue land of the Council. Many revenue villages have been under the demarcation of the Railway, having no land document but already erected pillars to demarcate their possession of the land. The reaction come only from the affected people of the ongoing construction of BG Line, demanding compensation, in the name and style of B.G.Line Compensation Demand Committee (BGLCDC).
It is seen that the people living near the Railway line in the Dima Hasao District are in a desperate position. The NEF Railway Authority recently served them notices to all those living near the Railway line, in area cover – 500 feet in both side of the Railway track, ordering to quit the land, whether established village or cultivation or any other. 
The NEF Railway authority is claim that these measure of land belongs to the Railway and has already erected pillars in these sites to mark the boundary of their departmental land. These demarcations leave the inhabitants of this area in a landless condition, if the Railway Authority claim is accepted. That there are many villages in the land claim by the NEF Railway Authority, the line in this district from Dilimpur village near Manderdisa Railway Station to Ditokcherra,thus, the total land claim by the NEF Railway department if measures about 27,984 bighas.Mention may be made here that Railway line connected this hills section in North Cachar Hills( present Dima Hasao District) in 1901 by the Railway Authority called Assam Bengal Railway (ABR). It was during the British ruled and the Railway Track being Metre Gauge(MG). The ABR, since that time erected pillars in both sides of the Railway track measuring 50feets from both the track till recently. The ABR handed over the Railway authority in the hands of North East Railway (NEFR)on 15th January, 1958, after Indian Independence. Now, the construction of Broad-gauge started in the year 2001-02 and began to claim 500feets of land in both sides of the Railway track. The added 0 in the old measurement ( 50+0=500). That become 1000 feet (500 feet each in both sides). They recently erected pillars as the mark of boundary after serving notices to the public. This acquisition of land included the land belonging to the nearby villages, residential areas, cultivated areas, plantation areas. These are the land belonging to the local people with valid patta of land given by N.C.Hills Autonomous Council, the villagers have been paying taxes to the Council. That after the constitution of N.C.Hills Autonomous District Council at Haflong in 1952 the Government has given the land authority to the Council. Therefore, the Council is issuing Land Pattas and collected land Revenue from the holders of the Patta. Even the Deputy Commissioner, all the departments and even the Army, SSB, Electric department and other Central Government departments are paying land taxes to the Council. Whereas, the Railway Authority is not paying such land revenue and could not show any land document when the Deputy Commissioner of the district asked them to produce recently, as per the report of the BGRLCDC leaders. That the ABR had handed over the Railway Authority to NEFR on 15th January,1958 only after 7(seven) years the Government given the Land Authority to the NCHills Autonomous District Council,Haflong. The Railway Authority is still having no Land document from the Council.
There is one point to be noted here, that the Survey on the Alignment Map for the new construction, diversion from MG line to BG line, was reported to have been conducted in the year 2004; the BG line is a conversion from MG line. However, there are two places of diversion. One point of diversion is from Dijeing near Maibang upto Dautuhaja and the other from Tunnel No. 11, near Mahur to Ditokcherra. Here, the land under NEFR is a matter of concern again. It is not known whether the land included in the old MG line be relinquish by the Railway authority or they will occupied both the old and the new. If so, vast area will become under the possession of the NEFR. That before the Survey was conducted, it is mandatory that the permission from the Counci(NCHADC) must have been taken. Was that permission obtained? If so, who was the Chief Executive Member ,who was the Principal Secretary ,who was Land Revenue Secretary and who was Revenue Officer that signed the document? Did the Executive Committee or Session of the Council discussed over the matter and adopted resolution in this regard? Did not the Railway Authority paid any taxes? If paid, was recorded in the PLA of the Council ?
Again, the NEF Railway had made payment involving crores of rupees to the affected land owners, as compensation against the damage done in the new construction. The Railway authority claimed that they had paid around Rs. 3crores and three times, (though the fourth time is still pending) as compensation. Then, did the Revenue Department received the land taxes or land revenue in this regard? If so, was deposited in the Council’s PLA? If deposited, why the present Council is running too low, having no fund, unable to pay even salary to its employees? The Railway Authorities are occupying, purchasing vast area of the Council revenue soil, including the villages where it regularly collected Land revenue, but the Council is silent and ignorant about this matter. It is also not clear whether an agreement was made between the Council and the NEF Railway Authority before demarcation, before new construction. If done, what are the conditions, what are the points of their agreement?
The Council ( Now, Dima Hasao Autonomous Council) should have taken initiative in this regard, but is still not taking desire initiative. And its authority over the land is in threat if this happen around. The main revenue, established permanent and the very mark of Land ownership is Land Revenue or taxes over the Land. Now, the Councilors are busy with other matters and silent over this matter. If the Railway Authority really acquitted such vast area, many villagers will face immense hardship. Many will become landless. They will be deprived of their land and properties, including their sources of income. The Council will also lose it revenue sources, many revenue villages will be reduced.
The BGLCDC made an appeal to the Gauhati High Court recently. The Court is expected to hear the case soon. The BGLCDC is demanding to make payment to the affected persons against the acquisition of the land, damaged done in the new construction that include those directly affected damaging land and properties. Besides, those will be affected indirectly, can be affected due to the ongoing construction.
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