Surveying activity for Railway head stopped in view of protests; officials to ascertain disgruntlement

NO NOTIFICATION YET FOR LAND ACQUISITION FOR RAILWAY PROJECT 
GANGTOK, 07 Feb: The East District administration has stopped all surveying and spot verification works which were underway at Khani Khola, Majitar. This is in response to the agitated stand taken by the local people whose lands are being surveyed for the upcoming Railway head to be set up there. This will be the first railway junction in the state, if it comes up.
It was further learnt that regarding the same, a meeting between the members of the Railway affected Committee and the State Transport Authority was held recently, but the outcome of the meeting is not known.
It had earlier been reported that the affected locals of Khani Khola had organized themselves into a committee called the Railway Affected Committee to present a united stand against the taking of their lands for the railway project. However it seems that the reaction of the locals may be a bit premature considering that there has, as yet, been no notification issued by any authority on land acquisition at the particular spot. It may be also said that the act of surveying too is premature without an official notification of land acquisition. Notifications of land acquisitions are issued by the Land Revenue department of the state government, and as of now and as informed, there is no such notification. In fact in the absence of such a notification state government officials are not supposed to go into any land for purposes of surveying and verification.
However in this instance, this was a preliminary survey being conducted by the East District office. The Head Surveyor, GB Subba and RO, GP Sharma, East District, had gone to Khani Khola on 11 January 2012 in a preliminary surveying exercise. However, when they returned to continue with the survey exercise a few days ago they were met with opposition from the locals. The officials did complete their survey exercise of the Mining Complex but were challenged when they attempted it at Khani Khola, which falls under West Pendam, they informed. The people of the area put up a protest and did not allow the officials to step on their lands for the spot verification and did not allow them to gather the land details either, officials informed.
Considering that there is no notification along with the disturbance now created among the locals there who have stated that they will not part with their lands the district administration has thought it better to stop all surveying and spot verification exercises in the particular location till further directions. This was informed by SDM East, AB Karki while talking to NOW today. He further informed that the administration is looking into and examining the grievances of the public and will try to find out the reasons why the people do not want to give the land for the project.
We will look into the matter at the earliest and find to resolve the problem and also find out the reason for the resentment of the people of the area as why they do not want to give their lands for the railway project, the SDM [East] stated.