Encroachers who have built homes on government property in Williamnagar will have their situations regularised by the government, the state cabinet decided today.
As part of the move, the government will retain ownership of the land in Balsrigittim and Warmagre but will sign long-term lease agreements with each occupant. Around 1,200 houses will be affected, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma informed.
Some 20 years ago, the then cabinet had taken a decision to regularise the squatters but it was never implemented.
The cabinet has set a limit of 10,000 square feet for each family. The rate each family will have to pay will be based on classification of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council. The land in Warimagre is more valuable and the price will be set at Rs 2.5 lakh per bigha, with the land at Balsrigittim set at Rs 1.875 lakh per bigha.
The CM also said that similar steps will also be taken for Tura, which has several areas occupied illegally. A survey will find out just how much land has been encroached upon and the government will then take steps to regularise them.
“There has been too much confusion and too many cases in the past which cannot go on forever. We need to find an amicable solution to these problems,” Sangma said.
Eviction of the squatters is not a feasible option as they have been living there, in some cases, for decades. “It would lead to an extreme law and order situation,” the CM said, adding that it is, instead, a win-win situation by retaining ownership of the land for the government, earning revenue for the state exchequer and allowing the people to stay there on lease.
The government estimates that it will earn a onetime amount of Rs 8 crore from Balsrigittim and Rs 4.5 crore from Warimagre as well as Rs 2.67 crore and Rs 1 crore annually from each.
A total of 886 families are currently residing at Balsrigittim and 408 families at Warimagre. With the regularisation of these lands the government is expecting to earn revenue for one time approximately Rs 8 crore from Balsrigittim and on annual basis approximately 2.67 crore. In Warimagre approximately 4.5 crore and annually 1 crore.
