Sit-in protest at Noney railway station site flags 'encroachment', demands compensation
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NONEY, Feb 28: Landowners of Karuangmuan Nungtek village affected by the railway development project staged a sit-in protest at Noney railway station construction site today.
The protest demonstration at Puningmuan flagged land encroachment beyond what was acquired for the project and demanded a settlement for compensation.
The protesters held banners and raised slogans such as “No settlement, no work,” “Respect our traditional land rights,” and “Don’t suppress us in the name of development.”
The protesters asserted that their grievances regarding land compensation have remained unresolved despite repeated appeals since 2024.
The affected landowners stated that the construction work of the railway project between Chainage numbers 87387 metres and 88500 meters has allegedly encroached beyond the land area acquired under the project.
They further claimed that continuous landslides, land surface cracks, and dumping of excavated soil have affected the land beyond the demarcated boundary.
Several memoranda have been submitted to the Deputy Commissioner, Noney, and the concerned railway authorities since 2024, including requests for a resurvey of the disputed land, they said.
Although joint surveys were reportedly conducted following an official notice issued on February 20, 2025, the matter remains unresolved, they added.
Forceson Khumba, chairman of the Railway Affected Landowners Association, stated that the authorities have failed to take positive action despite repeated appeals.
All construction works at the disputed site will be shut until the issue is resolved, he said.
The protest demonstration at Puningmuan flagged land encroachment beyond what was acquired for the project and demanded a settlement for compensation.
The protesters held banners and raised slogans such as “No settlement, no work,” “Respect our traditional land rights,” and “Don’t suppress us in the name of development.”
The protesters asserted that their grievances regarding land compensation have remained unresolved despite repeated appeals since 2024.
The affected landowners stated that the construction work of the railway project between Chainage numbers 87387 metres and 88500 meters has allegedly encroached beyond the land area acquired under the project.
They further claimed that continuous landslides, land surface cracks, and dumping of excavated soil have affected the land beyond the demarcated boundary.
Several memoranda have been submitted to the Deputy Commissioner, Noney, and the concerned railway authorities since 2024, including requests for a resurvey of the disputed land, they said.
Although joint surveys were reportedly conducted following an official notice issued on February 20, 2025, the matter remains unresolved, they added.
Forceson Khumba, chairman of the Railway Affected Landowners Association, stated that the authorities have failed to take positive action despite repeated appeals.
All construction works at the disputed site will be shut until the issue is resolved, he said.