A joint meeting of Assam Government representatives, N F Railway authorities, N C Hills Autonomous Council (NCAC) members, representatives of the Dima Hasao district administration and N C Hills Indigenous Students Forum was held at the conference hall of Chief Secretary, Government of Assam at Dispur in Guwahati on Wednesday.
The meeting was also attended by T Y Das, Chief Secretary Govt of Assam, Alok Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, L S Changsan, Personal Secretary, H&P, Rajesh Prasad, Personal Secretary, Revenue & Disaster Management, Mukesh Agarwal, ADGP A Hussain, Com & Secretary GAD, A U Choudhury, Com & Secretary, HAD, S N Singh, CAO/Con-1, NFR, B N Bashkar, CE/Con-1,NFR,P K Jain, DRM Lumding, Arul Jothi, DIG RPF, Naresh Ghosh PS NCHAC, Amitabh Rajkhowa DC, Prasanta Saikia SP, Mukut Kemprai PS(N) NCHAC, Saindesh Ardao, Secretary, Revenue, Debanon Daolagupu, Secretary NCHAC, David Keivom, President NCHISF among others.
The meeting was chaired by T Y Das, Chief Secretary, Goverment of Assam.
In the meeting, the Railway authority admitted that the damages are genuine and they informed the members present in the meeting that they are ready to pay all the necessary compensation.
But as the Railway authority is not going to acquire any additional land, there is no such rule under Railway authority to pay the compensation.
Therefore, they requested the State Government to tell them under what rules they will pay the compensation.
The Chief Secretary T Y Das asked the Railway authority to pay the land development or land restoration under the same rules as how they have paid the zerrat value.
S N Singh,CAO, N F Railway also informed that they cannot pay some part and leave some part of the payment as the damages are genuine and the Railway authority have to find a way to settle the issue as per their promise.
The Railway authority in response, informed that they will need some time as they will need approval of the Railway Board, New Delhi to settle the matter.
They were given two months’ time to clear all the necessary compensation, if not Assam Government will take a legal action against the Railway authority.
The N C Hills Indigenous Students Forum was requested to maintain peace and to have full confidence in the State Government, said T Y Das.