Aizawl: Mizo National Front (MNF) president Zoramthanga on Monday criticised the state government over the land acquisition at Lengpui, alleging that mandatory legal procedures were bypassed to hasten the process.
Speaking after releasing the party’s candidates for the upcoming Aizawl Municipal Corporation (AMC) polls, Zoramthanga said the price at which land near Lengpui Airport was acquired for the Indian Air Force (IAF) was “astonishing”.
He stated that the IAF had been seeking land since the tenures of both Congress and MNF governments, which had agreed to the proposal in principle. However, he said, concrete steps began only on May 15 last year when the present Zoram People’s Movement (ZPM) administration issued a preliminary notification.
Alleging procedural violations, Zoramthanga said the Revenue Minister had cancelled the mandatory Social Impact Assessment (SIA). “A State Minister cannot override an Act of Parliament,” he remarked.
He further claimed that more than Rs 188 crore had been deposited into the Aizawl Deputy Commissioner’s account even before the final notification was issued. “They put the cart before the horse by depositing the money prematurely. This is highly improper,” he said, adding that it would be “interesting” to see how the ZPM government defended the matter in court.
The land deal has triggered a political row, with the opposition MNF and Congress accusing the ruling ZPM of irregularities. The controversy centres on Rs 187.90 crore reportedly paid for the acquisition of private land intended for an IAF air defence system or fighter base.
Earlier, the MNF and Congress lodged separate complaints with the State Chief Vigilance Officer and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), seeking a federal inquiry into the alleged scam.
The opposition parties alleged that two individuals, who were not the original landowners, received the bulk of the compensation. According to them, one individual was paid Rs 70 crore and another over Rs 117.90 crore, while the original landowners allegedly received little or nothing.
They also claimed that a process that typically takes years was completed in just 70 days, citing the waiver of the Social Impact Assessment and the alleged failure to notify village councils, both of which they said were mandatory under the Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
The ZPM government has denied wrongdoing. State Revenue Minister B. Lalchhanzova countered the allegations, claiming that the previous MNF government had attempted to permanently transfer the land to the IAF between 2019 and 2021, which he said would have violated state land protection laws.