How 31 families in Arunachal village turned crorepatis overnight

The families of Bomja village in Tawang district were handed compensation cheques — a total of Rs 40.80 crore — for land was acquired by the Indian Army.

Updated on: Feb 8, 2018, 20:00:34 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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The 31 families of Bomja village in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh have turned millionaires in a day.

Arunchal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu hands over a compensation cheque to a Bomja resident at a function on Wednesday. (HT)

The families were handed compensation cheques by Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday five years after their land was acquired by Indian Army for setting up key location plan units.

For the 200 acres of land acquired by Tawang Garrison in the district bordering China, a total amount of Rs 40.80 crore—released by the defence ministry—was distributed.

Khandu gave the cheques worth Rs 1.09 crore each to 29 families at a function. One family got Rs 6.73 crore and another received compensation worth nearly Rs 2.45 crore.

The chief minister thanked the defence minister for releasing the amount and said that the compensation for other such private lands acquired by the army will be handed over soon.

The Centre issued a notification in September last year sanctioning the release of Rs 158 crore as compensation for private land taken over in Arunachal Pradesh by the army. The amount distributed on Wednesday was part of that compensation package.

Following the Indo-China war in 1962, the army went on a land acquiring spree in Arunachal Pradesh to set up bases and installations. But more than five decades later, compensation for most of those private lands is yet to be given.

An amount of Rs 54 crore was released in April last year by the Centre to 152 families in three villages of Bomdila district due to efforts by the state government and Centre.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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