In what seems to be a hurdle for setting up of the proposed medical college in Mon district, Chi Village Council (CVC) Tuesday announced the withdrawal of the no objection certificate (NOC) it had issued earlier for setting up the proposed Mon Medical College at Chi Ponghoa in Mon district.
It may be mentioned that the Union Health minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan had laid the foundation stone of the much-awaited Mon Medical College in Mon district headquarters at a glittering function held on February 26.
However, CVC chairman Manwang, Goching Village Council (GVC) chairman Yahreih, head GB of GVC Goaklem, head GB of CVC Thoaching, Chi Union Mon Town president C Leipa and Chi Citizen president T Kaiyan in a joint press release cited the State government’s failure to honour its commitment to CVC during the laying of the medical college’s foundation stone on February 26 at Mon district hospital.
They pointed out that CVC had to cooperate with the government and issued NOC with pre-condition, which the government had also agreed, but accused it of subsequently backtracking on them…
According to these organisations, the Mon district administration had finalised an agreement with the plot owner of Ponghoa without the consent of CVC on January 12, 2020. But, they alleged that even after finalisation of the site at Ponghoa, the district administration led by deputy commissioner (DC), president and office bearers of Konyak Union (KU) approached the village council to survey new location within Chi jurisdiction as the price at Chi Ponghoa was too high.
Hence, the land at Kongjonghoa (Old Army Camp) under CVC was surveyed on January 14, 2020 in the presence of DC, medical survey team, land records and survey department officials, PHED officials and president and office bearers of KU. Though the land had good road connectivity and water supply, the bodies said it was rejected as it had multiple landowners.
Thereafter, another land at Nyata, also under CVC, was surveyed, but it was rejected for reasons best known to the district administration, they added.
The release stated that the sentiment of CVC was hurt as the land offered by it was rejected and land at Ponghoa was chosen in spite of the fact that the plot owner was against the entire Chi village.
Mentioning that it was compelled to negotiate with the plot owner at Ponghoa by the district administration and KU, the village council said it had done so with the pre-conditions that the approval order must be re-issued with the name and address being changed to Ponghoa Chi, Dist. Mon, Nagaland and not as Ponghong, and that the land for the proposed medical college must be re-surveyed with absolute transparency in the presence of Chi, GVC and KU to avoid any misunderstanding in future.
Besides, the council had also put the precondition that the land surveyed should be utilised for establishment of the medical college and that the project should be completed within the stipulated time frame as laid down in DPR. And in the event of the project being stalled/abandoned for more than 10 years and above the stipulated time period stated in the DPR, the village councils of Chi and Goching would reclaim the ownership to be used as community land.
Further, Gopang and other affected landowners should have the right to enjoy compensation for the land only and after which Chi and Goching village council should stand as signatories to the land sale deeds and MoU to be undertaken with the department/government.
Another precondition of CVC to the government was to name the medical college as Chi Ponghoa Medical College, Chi Dist. Mon, Nagaland. However, as its demand was rejected on the ground that the ministry had already approved the college name as Medical College, Mon, the council said it was later agreed to add Chi in the address as Medical College Mon at Chi, Dist. Mon, Nagaland.
At the request of KU and the DC after partial fulfilment of its demand by adding Chi in the address of the medical college, the council said though it was not fully satisfied, it agreed to their request and issued an NOC for the site at Ponghoa, for which the final land survey was allowed to be completed.
Now, when all the formalities were completed and the name of Chi was already engraved on the foundation stone of the medical college, which was inaugurated on February 26, the organisations said, to their dismay and insult to their village, the government ordered the DC to remove the name Chi from the foundation stone. This, they alleged, was done on the diktats of plot owner Gopang, who threatened not to give his land (Chi Ponghoa) if the name Chi was found on the foundation stone.
The organisations stated that time and again their sentiments were hurt by all sides – the government, civil societies and individuals. And above all, not even a single pre-condition was met.
Therefore, they said they have decided that not an inch of Ponghoa would be given to establish the medical college and withdraw the NOC given to KU and the district administration. Mentioning that they have been taken for a ride on several occasions, they asserted that could not remain a mere spectator whatsoever be the outcome.
Meanwhile, when contacted deputy commissioner Mon, Thavaseelan K. informed Nagaland Post that they were aware of the issue and working out to resolve the matter.