Survey work in the area has already been completed and about 50 acres of land will be acquired for setting up Unocal's South Pad, sources said.

The site is near the Bibiyana Gas Field and the selected lands are adjoining the Sunamganj-Aushkandi and Syedpur-Inatganj roads.

The landowners at a press conference at Sylhet Press Club Tuesday evening alleged that certain quarters in the administration are trying to deprive them of proper compensation and fair price of their lands and homesteads.

They also threatened tougher agitation, if needed, to realise their demands.

In a written statement they said, "We are proud of being the owners of lands fof national importannce. We are also ready to sacrifice valuable ancestral houses and lands for that cause.

"But we want fair price as per law and proper compensation".

Some officials are trying to "cheat" us in the name of acquisition, which would be resisted at any cost, they warned.

All the families in the area will have to leave their ancestral homes. Some officials are now out to pay a 'nominal price' for the lands, they alleged.

Even, the price offered is 'far below' the price paid when

Bibiyana Gas field was set up near a river bank in the area in 1997, they said.

The owners demanded that prices to be paid should be higher than those given while acquiring lands for North Pad of Bibiyana Gas Field.

The press conference was addressed by Khaled Ahmed Pathan, Syed Manjur Ali, Md Mainuddin and Emdad Hossain.

Some employees from Unocal went to the area On Monday to see the site and to plan preparatory work.

But they could not do any work due to resistance by the villagers.

When contacted, Unocal officials also confirmed the incident.

They said they are ready to pay proper compensation to the land owners.

Besides building installation the Unocal might go for drilling in the area for gas, the officials said.