Nagaland minister expresses shock over reported proposal of Meghalaya for new land lease agreement

    Kohima, Nov 29 (PTI) Nagaland PWD (Housing) Minister
Tongpang Ozukum has expressed "shock" over the reported
proposal of Meghalaya Urban Affairs Department to swap the
land where Nagaland Medical lodge construction is going on
opposite NEIGRIMS, Shillong with another plot.
    The minister in a statement here on Saturday said his
department has all the legal papers based on which land was
bought on lease for 30 years while few items of works have
already been executed in the said plot.
    "Urban Affairs Department, Meghalaya should give a
serious thought on their proposal of swapping land of Nagaland
Medical Lodge with another plot of land after eight years of
the lease agreement," he said.
    This is not an issue between Nagaland PWD (Housing)
Department and Urban Affairs Department, Meghalaya but it is a
matter of trust and confidence between two governments, he
said.
    "The Housing Department is yet to receive the proposal
of the Meghalaya Urban Affairs Departments letter officially,
but we have seen in the WhatsApp," the minister said.
    "A proposal letter was written by Urban Affairs
Department, Meghalaya on September 30, 2020, addressed to
Principal Secretary, Home, Nagaland offering a new plot of
land measuring 2.34 acres which is located half a kilometre
away from the present location and a fresh lease agreement to
be signed again with government of Meghalaya", he said.
    "The Urban Affairs Department, Meghalaya is also
offering to bear the expenses of the works already executed at
the Nagaland Medical Lodge including the boundary walls at the
proposed new plot with the same specifications. But Nagaland
PWD (Housing) Department cannot accept such proposals after 8
years of the lease agreement", Ozukum said.
    The minister expressed hope that the Meghalaya
government will honour the land lease agreement signed in 2013
and allow the government of Nagaland to go ahead with the
pending works without further delay. PTI NBS
RG RG

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)