Kathmandu, September 23
Politics has once again put the future of the Melamchi Water Supply Project in limbo. As the project was trying to acquire land for its second phase, local leaders have started a new game to continue the uncertainty.
District Administration Office Sindupalchok had called people to come take compensation for the land which will be acquired by the project. However, no one has come seeking compensation. The project aims to acquire around 47-acre of land for the second phase of the project. Chief District Officer Goma Devi Chemjong has said that her office has failed to give out compensations for various reasons.
“We’ve heard that local leaders have told people not to take compensation. Some aren’t ready to take the compensation and we’ve also heard that local governments have also asked the people not to take the compensation,” she says.
Chemjong says that locals had filed a petition at the DAO mentioning that the compensation they were receiving was quite low. However, she says that she herself decided the valuation of the properties and adds that the DAO would not be reconsidered revaluing the properties.
“We’ve told the people to go to the Ministry of Water Supply if they don’t like our valuation. I don’t think the government has ever revalued a land. I’ve still told them to try,” she says.
A local shares that some local leaders had threatened him of social exclusion if he goes to seek the compensation. He says that even though the valuation is not up to the mark, the local leaders were wrong to stop poor people from getting some money for their land.
“The government hasn’t valued the land correctly. But right now, I need money. I can’t even go and discuss this at the DAO. They’ll beat me up,” he says asking not to be named.
