Pong Dam oustees likely to get monetary relief instead of land
BIG PROJECT, LONG STRUGGLE
SHIMLA:AFTER a long deadlock for over half a century, the Rajasthan and Himachal governments have reportedly agreed to a proposal to pay money to the Pong Dam oustees who are struggling to get a chunk of land for their land acquired for the construction of dam in 1961.
Sources told Hindustan Times that the two governments have informally agreed upon the proposal under which Rajasthan will pay money to the oustees.
“A high-level delegation, led by Himachal Pradesh chief secretary Vineet Chawdhary, will The Pong dam is situated in Kangra district
The land acquisition started in early 1960s
Land was acquired in 336 villages
20,772 families were affected
241 applicants could not get land in exchange
meet Rajasthan chief secretary Ashok Jain to discuss the issue next month. Later, the revenue ministers of both the states will meet to settle the long standing issue,” revenue official PK Taak said.
WHAT IS THE ISSUE
The Pong dam is situated in Kangra district. The dam project was conceived as part of a larger project, then known as the Rajasthan Canal Project (RCP). Later, it was rechristened as Indira Gandhi Canal Project (IGNP). The 649 km canal takes water from the reservoir to the desert land of Rajasthan.
The process of the land acquisition started in early 1960s. Notably, 75,268 acres were submerged in the Pong Dam, also known as Maharana Partap Sagar.
The Pong Dam is direct source of water for Indira Gandhi Canal Project in Rajasthan.
The dam was constructed in the rich Haldoon Valley, which is known as a granary of Kangra. Land for the construction of dam was acquired in 336 villages and a total of 75,268 acres was acquired for the purpose. As many as 20,772 families were affected. Out of these, 16,532 families were considered eligiblefor allotment of land in Rajasthan.
A total area of 2.20 lakh acres of land was reserved by the Rajasthan government for the rehabilitation of the oustess. In Sri Ganganagar district of Rajasthan, the government had earmarked 25 bigha land each in the command area and the cost was to be recovered from the oustee families in 20 installments.
RAJASTHAN GOVT’S STANCE
The Rajasthan government had cancelled 1,188 allotments in 1992. Some aggrieved persons whose allotments were cancelled constituted Pong Bandh Visthapit Samiti and filed a petition in the court.
The court constituted a highpowered committee and asked both Himachal and Rajasthan to settle the issue.
Over the past 25 years, both the governments have held around 20 meetings. In 2017, it was found that the land allotted to oustees in Hasunwala, Longewala and Gamnewala areas was not fit for cultivation. The Rajasthan government agreed to exchange the land.
The Himachal government forwarded 1,184 applications for exchange of land. However, 241 applicants could not get land elsewhere.
WHAT DOES HIMACHAL WANT
The Himachal Pradesh government is now insisting that the Rajasthan government pay the left out oustees in cash instead of land.
The Rajasthan government maintains that it does not have enough command area in its state.
Secondly, the HP government wants Rajasthan to ensure that land is given to people who already have deposited the full cost and they be given its ownership.
Besides, Himachal is insisting that the Rajasthan government reconsider allotment of land to pong dam oustees along the India-pakistan border in Rajasthan.