ITANAGAR, 9 Apr: The Arunachal Pradesh Chakma Students’ Union (APCSU), which prepared a fact-finding report on the Hollongi airport rehabilitation package, has alleged nexus between officials and the Chakma Rehabilitation and Resettlement Committee (CRRC).
The airport, which is scheduled to be completed by August this year, led to displacement of 156 Chakma families.
On 10 March, 2021, the 156 displaced Chakma families filed a complaint with the chief vigilance officer-cum-chief secretary against the masterminds behind the scam, including Paritosh Chakma from Mizoram and Sadhan Kusum Chakma, Bijay Ranjan Chakma, Shambhasur Chakma, etc, from Papum Pare district, and some government officials. However, no action was taken by the Special Investigation Cell (SIC), it said.
On 11 October, 2021, it said, the victims filed a criminal writ petition before the Itanagar permanent bench of the Gauhati High Court, and during its hearing on 3 March this year, the high court directed the chief secretary, the Papum Pare deputy commissioner and the CRRC to submit their replies in three weeks.
“The fact-finding report of the APCSU should be placed before the Gauhati High Court in the ongoing writ petition. If these are the findings of the FFT by the APCSU, then what has been the SIC doing? This exposes the nexus between the officials and the CRRC and the fact-finding report should help to punish the scamsters,” said APCSU president Rup Singh Chakma.
The fact-finding report was prepared following and on-the-spot visit by a three-member team of the APCSU, headed by Drishya Muni Chakma, on 1 and 2 February, 2021. They interviewed the displaced victims and the CRRC formed by the Papum Pare DC.
“The victims told the APCSU fact-finding team that each displaced Chakma victim received Rs 25,000 as transport costs for shifting against
sanctioned amount of Rs 50,000, about Rs 1 lakh cash assistance, while each house was constructed at the cost of Rs 4 to 6 lakhs against sanctioned amount of Rs 23.60 lakhs for each house. The victims were denied all other sanctioned facilities,” the union stated in a release.
“CRCC president Bijay Ranjan Chakma and its general secretary Shambhasur Chakma told the APCSU’s fact-finding team that, out of Rs 34 crores sanctioned for rehabilitation and resettlement of the 156 Chakma displaced families, Rs 6.5 crores was deducted for electricity and water connection, Rs 7 crores was deducted for land filling and dressing, Rs 2.3 crores was deducted for bank charges/postal/transaction charges, while Rs 18.20 crores was received by the CRRC,” it said.
The fact-finding team stated that Rs 6.5 crores deducted for electricity and water connection, Rs 7 crores deducted for land filling and dressing, and Rs 2.3 crores deducted for bank charges/postal/transaction charges cannot be deducted from the amount exclusively meant for rehabilitation.
“Instead, the said amount should have been deducted from the fund allotted from the component, such as shifting of utilities or acquisition of land funds,” the union said.
The Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013 states that compensation amount has to be deposited into the bank account linked with Aadhaar of each displaced person. The deputy commissioner failed to do so, and instead transferred the rehabilitation amount to the CRRC, which is illegal as per the Act and the alleged embezzlement took place from the CRRC account, it said.
