The Arunachal Justice Forum (AJF) on Thursday alleged that State Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President Tapir Gao’s private building at C-Sector in Naharlagun has blocked the main entry gate of the District Library Information Centre (DLIC) and demanded for its demolition at the earliest.
Addressing media persons at the press club, AJF President Nabam Tagam said, “In public interest, a detailed verification should be carried out immediately by the authority concerned so that such illegal structure on government land is removed and is protected from encroachment.”
As per the AJF, the land on which Gao’s under-construction five-storied building stands, covers an area of almost 4,000 square metres. The land had been given to the DLIC in 1982, but Gao occupied some portions illegally in 1995, the forum claimed.
Tagam said that the AJF had taken up the matter with the chief estate officer and chief vigilance commissioner, but no action has been initiated from their end.
“It could possibly be due to political pressure that the government officials have intentionally ignored the complaint,” Tagam said.
He also said that the district library officer had on April 4, 2017 and March 15 this year written a letter to Gao’s wife, asking her to shift the building’s septic tank from the library campus and to stop the widening of passage but the request went unattended on both occasions.
“The library is an important establishment and it needs a well-spaced entrance gate for transportation of office goods and materials meant for the library. However, the building owner did not hesitate to continue the construction of building,” Tagam said.
Tagam further said that he filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) No. 25, 2018 in this regard at the Gauhati High Court, Itanagar Permanent Bench on Wednesday and the case has been put up for hearing.
Gao, when contacted, said the allegations against him were baseless and politically motivated. He said all his properties, be it in Naharlagun or Itanagar were accumulated through proper channel and following all required land allotment formalities.
“Only after getting land allotment in 2015, the construction work for the building’s ground floor started in 2017. If the land belonged to DLIC, why would the government allot it to me?” he asked, further adding neither he nor his wife has received any complaint from the district library officer in this regard.
The BJP president, aware of the PIL file against him, said he has so far not received any communication from the court to appear for the hearing as claimed by the AJF. “I am ready to fight the battle legally if the court summons me, as I have done nothing wrong,” Gao said.