Editor,
The decision of the Government to hold elections in the Municipal Areas declared by the government is illegal and unconstitutional. The Municipal areas as notified by Meghalaya Government are not actually Municipal areas. The Government notified certain towns and district headquarter as Municipal areas only for the purpose of administration. For instance, the villages of Williamnagar like Kusimkolgre, Kolmesalgre, Ampangdamgre, Do’betkolgre, Denggagiri, Bangonggre and Nokil A’we which are under under the A’king Nokmaship and the direct control and administration of the District Council have been illegally declared as Municipal areas by the Government. Villages like Rongreng Baija, Chidekgre and Rangmal Badim also have been declared by the government as Municipal areas but those are actually a State Forest Reserve under the control of the Autonomous District Council.
Likewise the Municipal areas of Baghmara, Resubelpara and Tura are actually the land of A’king Nokmas and under the control of Autonomous District Council. The so- called Municipality Boards are not boards in real sense but can be explained away as town planning committees. And all these are in the Sixth Scheduled areas. Article 243 Z (C) of the Indian constitution clearly states that Municipality cannot be extended to scheduled and tribal areas. Holding Municipal Elections in the above
mentioned areas is tantamount to illegal implementation of Part IX-A of the Indian constitution which deals with Municipality.
Imagine what would happen if we establish an Autonomous District Council for the Delhiites right in the middle of Delhi city. Can there be two systems for a single area?
Article 243 Z(C) also says that that state government unilaterally cannot amend any law in regard to the extension of municipalities to the Scheduled and Tribal Areas except the Parliament, by law. The MUA Government is trying to pass Community Participation Bill and hurriedly conduct elections in Garo Hills just to fulfil the terms and conditions of JNNURM scheme. Only after much hue and cry by ordinary people of Garo Hills and various NGO’s and traditional institutions of Meghalaya, has the NCP decided to set up a committee to study the controversial Meghalaya Community Participation Bill, which is too little, too late. Just because a Municipal Election is allowed, will Baghmara turn into a miniature version of Shillong (even after 50 years)? The people of Tura, Williamnagar, Baghmara and Resubelpara strongly protested against the Municipal elections last year and should launch a stronger protest this time too. Accepting Municipality means the surrender of our rights and ownership which is guaranteed under Constitution of India to protect tribals. It is an excuse for Meghalaya Government to say that it had to act on the direction of the High Court based on the petition filed by municipal candidates. If the government could not conduct elections for Shillong Municipal Board, then why do they want to have the elections only in Garo Hills that too, for Town Planning committees? Does the government think that the people of Garo Hills can be taken for granted?
Yours etc.,
Wilberth Marak
Williamnagar
Thumbs up to Meghalaya Government!
Editor,
The skyrocketing fuel prices of diesel and cooking gas is serious. Hike in prices of these two essential commodities have thrown family budgets of the common man into disarray in the State. A majority of the households have started cutting down on their monthly intake of other essential commodities like vegetables, meat, fish and milk among other things. Many families living on meager income are finding the hike quite alarming.
The Central government is not in control of the rising fuel prices. The polemics of the Central governments over fuel price rise and the claim to tackle the crisis do not seem to have enthused the common man, who accuses the government of failing to make timely market intervention. For a stable economic system, prices of petroleum products do need regular updating in tune with global price fluctuation of crude oil. But, the Union government can and must take substantial steps to provide relief to the public through saving on hidden costs in distribution of petroleum products.
I congratulate the state government for following the steps of some of the state governments by withdrawing the VAT from LPG cylinders, diesel and kerosene. The decision came as a relief for the people of the state who are reeling under severe hike of prices of other essential commodities.
Yours etc.,
Bivan Rodriques Mukhim
Shillong – 8