BOMDILA, OCT 6:
A coordination meeting was held here on Tuesday to discuss the long-pending widening of around 2.3 km of the National Highway stretch at Elephant Flat and Sessa between Chainage Km 50 and Km 70.
The widening work has remained pending primarily due to issues concerning payment of land compensation and the status of certain land parcels in the vicinity of Reserved Forest areas.
The meeting was attended by 6-Thrizino-Buragaon MLA Tenzin Nyima Glow, West Kameng Deputy Commissioner Dr Dilip Kumar, APMDTCC Vice-Chairman Labi Dususow, 14 BRTF Commander Sunil Kumar, Khellong DFO Suman Beniwal, AC Bhalukpong A Pangging and 91 RCC Officer Commanding Ujjwal Vishnoi. Bhalukpong ZPM Pema Jebisow, along with PRI representatives, community leaders and residents of Bhalukpong, Sessa and Jamiri, also participated.
Community representatives raised concerns over non-payment of compensation to eligible landowners. They also expressed reservations over the status of certain forest areas, stating that local people have traditionally depended on the land for cultivation and commercial production of banana, pineapple and bamboo shoot.
DC Dilip Kumar sought the cooperation of community leaders, PRI representatives and residents of Jamiri, Elephant Flat and Sessa to facilitate completion of the pending works. He highlighted the strategic importance of the road and stressed that timely completion and regular maintenance were essential for road safety, connectivity and national security.
MLA Tenzin Nyima Glow and APMDTCC Vice-Chairman Labi Dususow were of the view that fresh earth-cutting or removal of existing infrastructure should not be undertaken until the land-status issue is resolved. However, they suggested that metalling and blacktopping of the existing road, wherever feasible, could be allowed to improve road conditions and safety on the pending stretches.
Community representatives assured the meeting that they would deliberate on the issues with members of their respective villages and reconsider their present position with a view to facilitating an early resolution and completion of the road works.
