Assam: NCHISF demands immediate compensation for highway construction families

The North Cachar Hills Indigenous Students Forums (ISF) has demanded urgent compensation on behalf of Dima Hasao residents who have been impacted by highway road construction in the hills district.

The forum also submitted a memorandum for compensation, citing various points for the affected families and the improvement of villages near the highways, including the immediate release of all necessary compensation before the commencement of 4-lane balance work.

The Forum also advises the formation of a monitoring committee or agreement with the contractor in the presence of NHAI authority to resolve local issues, as well as the contractor's commitment to completing the highway road construction as soon as possible.

It also includes the requirement for a village approach road whose land was acquired by NHAI for highway construction, a market shed along the highway for villagers to sell their organic produce, no change in alignment for new road construction, and maintenance of the highway road stretch from Nrimbanglo to Harangajao.

Talking to IndiaTodayNE, the forum's president, David Keivom, stated that during an earlier meeting, the authority agreed to compensate them in the presence of Assam chief minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, but because six months have passed and no positive response has been received and therefore a strong agitation against the authority has been launched.