Expropriation - Fiction of the week - 13

 Expropriation

“Destroying some of the old buildings of the street would not only widen the road but also develop commercial activities in the neighborhood. At least three cars can pass at a time on the road. And all of you whose house will be destroyed during the process will get enough compensation. The expropriation would give a handsome benefit to all home owners” a government officer made a public announcement and did wait to hear the positive reactions from the audiences.

One of the audiences who was going to get the compensation got disappointed after listening to the government officer’s announcement. He asked the officer “Sir, you are going to destroy some of the houses to widen the road. My house is also among them. The destruction of the houses would displace me too. After the destruction of my house I will need to move from the heart of the city and construct a house somewhere at a far end of the city.  How constructing a house somewhere at the end of the city from the center could be the prosperity and development for me?  And, how developing this place would give me the prosperity?”

He added “at the same time, moving somewhere else would end the claim that my house is at the center of the city forever. The right and the joy to say that my house is in the center of the city are invaluable. That is why the compensation is incomparable. That loss is never recovered by the compensation. Or did I not understand the value of the compensation?”

The government officer who was present there to pay the compensation looked confused with the argument made by the person.

Bishwa Raj Adhikari