Chetheba Town Area Land Owners Association (CTALOA) has served a 20-day ultimatum on the state government to settle damage compensation issue concerning two-lane Chakhabama-Zunheboto road (Sedzu to Dzulha) under SARDP-NE project.
In an petition addressed to the state chief minister, CTALOA convenor Vekhole Rhakho and general secretary Rukuvoto Ringa demanded that payment for all genuine beneficiaries must be completed on or before October 31, 2019, failing which the association would be compelled to “adopt any stringent action or seek legal remedy.”
The association has also demanded setting up of an independent inquiry committee and conduct re-verification to asses all bogus, underpaid, overpaid, left out and unaccounted compensation.
Besides, CTALOA demanded regularising bogus and unaccounted money and issuing fresh sanction for all genuine beneficiaries strictly according to government approved rate of various categories of compensation.
Alleging multi-crore scam in the distribution of compensation, the association has demanded initiating appropriate disciplinary action against erring officials and all individuals or groups involved in the scam.
The association stated that many landowners received underpaid/overpaid compensation and many genuine landowners’ damaged properties were not taken into account. However, it said enormous bogus beneficiaries drew crores of money depriving genuine beneficiaries of their rightful compensation.
It stated that depriving of the basic rights of the landowners to adequate compensation according to government approved rate, underpaid and overpaid, unpaid and bogus payment had been the bone of contention between the opposing parties.
CTALOA stated that discrepancy detected in the damage compensation was not only a question of justice and transparency, but tantamount to murder of democracy and established financial rules and procedures. It maintained that the scam was a multi-crore scam and a misappropriation of such magnitude, if left unattended, would shake the very pillar of democracy and the trust in the government. The association has, therefore, appealed to the chief minister to intervene and deliver justice.