Jampui hill landowners in North Tripura await NHIDCL compensation 7 years after land acquisition. Despite clearances and funds, award still withheld.
Agartala (Tripura) Jun 12: For over seven years, nearly 20 landowners along the Manu-Simluang Road (NH-44A) in North Tripura’s Package IV stretch—from Tlaksih to Thumlai—have been waiting in vain for their rightful compensation.
Despite land acquisition notifications and formal award declarations by the Competent Authority for Land Acquisition (CALA), NHIDCL has failed to disburse the compensation, citing internal administrative reasons.
With no land disputes, sufficient funds available, and homes and plantations deteriorating, affected families are urging the administration and elected leaders to intervene before legal proceedings become inevitable.
According to local sources, around 15-20 Landowners at the stretch of Manu-Simluang Road (NH44A) Package IV (Tlaksih to Thumlai sector) are deprived of the Compensation Money, even after patiently waiting for 7 years after their Lands are Acquired by NHIDCL through the CALA, North Tripura.
The Competent Authority for Land Acquisition (ADM & Collector), North Tripura issued 3A Notification on 25-06-2018, 3D Notification on 04-02-2019 and Award (compensation) was announced on 19-01-2021. But despite repeated requests, complaints and grievances submitted by the landowners over the past years, compensation money has not been paid to them.
There is no land dispute and no complaints. SDM, Kanchanpur has already made assessment and submitted to CALA (ADM, North) but due to NHIDCL’s excuses, the release of award was withhold.
Among the landowners there were around 7-10 houses acquired by NHIDCL. Since already acquired, they expected award money to construct new houses and were in dilemna whether to still spend money for repair & maintenance of their houses.
Now, roofs are leaking and windows broken and living in pathetic condition. The landowners too could not groom their horticultural crops and arecanut plantations as are already acquired by NHIDCL due to which plantations are getting damaged by pests and jungle growth.
The landowners have approached the CALA (ADM, North) again in April, 2025. Then CALA (ADM, North) pushed the ball to General Manager (Projects), PMU – Dharmanagar, NHIDCL in which he stated that as per NH Act, 1956 there is no provision to de-notify/withdraw the notification of land which is already acquired.
As per sources in CALA’s office, sufficient fund is available in the account of CALA, but due to NHIDCL’s petty excuses for the past many years like new DPR under preparation, change of contractor, change of alignment, etc., compensation money was withhold.
Now the questions asked by landowners are, If there is no land dispute and if fund is available then why not release the award? If land acquired cannot be denotified/withdrawn, then why landowners are deprived because of NHIDCL’s intenal matters such as new DPR, new alignment, etc.?
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The landowners are expecting and eagerly waiting for the District Magistrate of North Tripura and the local MLA, Smt. Santana Chakma, Minister of Industries & Commerce, etc to address their long-pending issue, failure of which may compel them to file a litigation in the Hon’ble Tripura High Court as they are left with no other alternatives if award money is not released within July this year.
