Shillong, Oct 29: The A·chik State People’s Forum (ASPF) has lodged a complaint with the Meghalaya State Human Rights Commission (MSHRC) citing gross human rights violations, exploitation, and negligence in the highway expansion project along Rongram–Goeragre–Chitoktak Road, West Garo Hills District by the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) and its contractors.
ASPF General Secretary Bernita R. Marak in the complaint said the manner in which the project has been undertaken has caused deep suffering, injustice, and humiliation to hundreds of families because of unjust land acquisition and denial of fair compensation.
“Landowners were paid extremely low compensation, far below prevailing market rates, while many have not received any compensation to date,” she said.
Stating that contractors exceeded the measured boundaries, encroached on private lands, and dug out additional portions illegally, without consent or revised compensation, Marak said this was in violation of Article 300A (Right to Property) of the Constitution and Section 19 of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition Act, 2013.
“Villagers who questioned illegal land use were threatened, bullied, and barred from accessing their own property. NHIDCL’s representatives and contractors reportedly used police intimidation to silence complaints and suppress local resistance,” she said.
Further, Marak said the NHIDCL’s communications falsely claim “no complaints were received,” despite multiple written petitions submitted by affected families and organizations. “This deliberate misrepresentation erodes public trust and may attract Sections 417, 420, 465, and 471 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for cheating, forgery, and use of false documents,” she added.
The NHIDC and the contractor have also been accused of effecting substandard and unscientific construction whereby retaining walls have collapsed or remain incomplete, with no drainage systems leading to severe flooding and erosion. With pitched roads that have been dug up blocking transport the project is endangering school children, patients, and commuters, Marak said.
With reckless excavation and dumping causing soil erosion, dust pollution, and destruction of farmlands the ASPF General Secretary said there is no environmental management plan, rehabilitation, or compensatory replantation.
She said landslides have been reported at Duragre, Chasingre, Rongkhon, and Chitoktak after mild rainfall even as the NHIDCL attributed them to weather, which is unacceptable because engineering designs must anticipate local terrain conditions in high-rainfall zones like Garo Hills.
Marak also told the commission that the NHIDCL has given false compliance and misleading reports that all works are complete and satisfactory when photographic and video evidence clearly show collapsed walls, flooding, open pits, and stranded vehicles.
“NHIDCL and its contractor, M/s Shivam Condev Pvt. Ltd., have not disclosed financial details, quality assurance reports, or project audits. The said contractor reportedly has a history of financial irregularities and insolvency-related disputes, raising serious questions about NHIDCL’s due diligence and selection process,” she stated.
The ASFP urged the commission to take suo motu cognizance of the violations and constitute an independent inquiry and joint inspection involving the district administration, NHIDCL, technical experts, NGOs, and affected villagers.
It also called for immediate and fair compensation to all landowners and to order a technical audit of construction quality as well as a disciplinary or criminal action against NHIDCL officials and contractors and establishment of a grievance redressal cell for affected landowners and residents under the supervision of the district administration.
