Shillong, May 30: KHADC chief PN Syiem has claimed that he is not aware whether the Council had issued any no-objection certificate (NOC) for the construction of the railway project in the state.

“Till now, we are yet to issue any fresh NOC for the project. However, we will have to find out through our records whether the Council had issued any NOC in the past,” Syiem told reporters on Tuesday.

He said that the present executive committee is not aware whether such NOC have been issued prior to 2013. “But after 2013, there have been no NOC issued by the Council for the project,” he added.

Syiem also informed that earlier the railway authorities had not sought for NOC from the KHADC and it was only recently that it did following the coming of the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.

Referring to the alleged claim made by the Ri Bhoi deputy commissioner that NOC is not required, the KHADC chief said there is a provision in the Act, 2013, which suggested that project of public importance, can go ahead without NOC.

“As of now, I don’t want to comment on this but as per my understanding, NOC is required from the Council for implementing projects in areas falling under the Sixth Schedule,” he stated.