Railway project affected people protest land acquisition, form Railway Affected Committee

GANGTOK, 06 Feb: On 5 February a huge gathering of land owners got together at Khani Khola, Majhitar for a meeting to discuss the behaviour, and in their view, unauthorised activity of railway authorities. The meeting was called in order to make a united stand and formulate a response over the attempt at acquiring their land for the railway head. The land owners, it is informed, are unhappy over the mapping and surveying of their land conducted by the railway authorities for construction of the railway project. In fact, the affected landowners of the area had earlier alleged highhandedness on the part of the railway authorities who had come to survey their land particularly in view of their submission that they are not ready to part with their lands. In view of this they have called the survey and mapping work being done on their lands ‘unauthorised’.
At the meeting the landowners discussed all possible scenarios and unanimously decided to form a committee for defending their cause and called it the  'Railway Affected Khanikhola Majhitar Joint Action Committee' (RAKMJAC). They have resolved not to allow any land to be taken. The meeting also cited various instances where people had been relieved of their lands without proper compensation and leading to their impoverishment. The landowners have also threatened an agitation should their land be taken forcibly. The next meeting is scheduled for 12 February.

It may be recalled here that for building proposed railway infrastructure then Railway Minister Mamta Banerjee had selected Mining Ground as a suitable place for the railway platform.