Kohima, August 4 (MExN): The Jotsoma Village Council (JVC) has refuted the statement issued by All Nagaland College Students' Union (ANCSU) on the issue of land encroachment at Kohima Science College, Jotsoma which was reported in the local media on April 24, 2018.
The JVC in a press release issued by Mego Nagi, Chairman and Pfüdolhoulie Rino, Secretary said it is “compelled to clarify on the historical as well as the legal aspect of the matter to the general public.”
ANCSU had earlier stated that, “vigorous agitation would include vandalizing the 3 government buildings (Door Darshan Kendra, PHED and RCEMPA) located within the acquired land of Science College as an example for those encroaching the college land.”
“While the Council do not deny that certain pockets of the acquired area of the college has been encroached by certain land owners, the issue at hand is not simply encroaching college land, but is much more intense and have wider implications which needs to be dealt in the right perspective without ignoring the legalities,” JVC stated.
The Council apprised that “the people of Jotsoma with a vision for better and higher education for the Nagas donated 50 acres of land free of costs for the establishment of Kohima Science College in the year 1962 when some prominent Naga leaders requested them.”
“Subsequently, in the year 1967, the government led by L Lungalung, Zopianga and T Haralu requested the villagers for more land and in the course of discussion, it was stated that a day will come when the state will have to establish its own university at this very place,” it pointed out.
JVC mentioned that “the villagers accordingly allowed government to acquire an area of 131.78 acres at a token compensation of Rs 0.03 naya paise per sq. ft. The total land acquired for the college was 181.78 acres including the donated portion.”
Mentioning that the council took up the issue of rampant land allotment with the authorities since 1980s, it appended that in 1986 government issued the first order banning land allotment in government college campuses vide Order NO.EDS(HTE)-23/86 dt 3/10/86, however, allotment remained unabated.
In this regard, JVC added that in 1990, the Council once again wrote to government which resulted in the formation of a High Powered Committee led by Professor T. Chuba, the then Minister (Higher & Technical Education). The HPC in its meeting held on November 14, 1990 decided “land belonging to Science College shall not be allotted to any organisation/individuals other than for the purpose of expansion of Science College.”
“The government issued as many as 9 notifications/OMs banning allotment of government land starting with OM No.GAB-2/6/87 dated September 1992 and the last being OM No. LR/2-21/88 dated July 8, 2009. Out of these notifications, as many as 5 (five) notifications indicated that the officials who allotted government land shall be held responsible and disciplinary proceedings shall be initiated against the concerned officials,” it observed.
JVC also pointed that despite the decision of the HPC banning allotment of college land and all the subsequent notifications, allotment of land at Kohima Science College Jotsoma remained unabated till 2009.
The Council, apart from land allotment to individuals and organisations viewed inter-departmental allotment of land, firstly to PHED, Doordarshan and then for the construction of RCEMPA as a violation of the very intent and purpose for which the land was acquired.
“As far as the encroachment of land is concerned, time and again, the Council has brought to the notice of the government that unless rampant allotment of land is brought to a stop, land owners may reclaim their land,” it claimed. However due to unabated allotment of land, land owners were prompted to take back their land claiming that they have better title over the land.
This claim, though the Council do not encourage is also legally in consonance with the existing law under Sec.8 of the Nagaland Land (Requisition & Acquisition) Act 1965, it stated.
The Council therefore, in a representation on July 16, 2018 while pledging unflinching support to the government in respect of reclaiming the land belonging to college, requested the state government to immediately cancel all the allotment of land made after the HPC decision of November 14, 1990.
The Council further observed that unless these actions are taken, any action of eviction against the encroachers without cancellation of illegal allotment orders/pattas or any simultaneous action of evicting occupants of illegal allotments along with the "so called" encroachers will create law and order problems.
While affirming that it is ready to cooperate with the government authorities to take full responsibility of letting the landowners return back the land to the college for future development as agreed in 1967, it appealed the government to cancel and evict all those who were allotted land illegally and in contravention of the HPC decision and the Notifications & OMs banning government land allotment.
The Council therefore warned that the act of vandalism proposed by the ANCSU within the jurisdiction of Jotsoma village will be taken as "an insult and direct challenge to the village" and action will be taken against the perpetrators of such actions individually as per Naga customary practice.
