By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The KHADC Executive Committee has suspended Syiem of Hima Nongspung, Peter Roger Syiemiong, for signing an agreement with the Assam Government for construction of a 10-Km road estimated to cost Rs 600 crore in the land of the Hima.
“We have issued a notification to suspend the Syiem of Hima Nongspung on Monday,” KHADC CEM Pynshngain N Syiem told reporters on Monday.
The decision to suspend the Syiem of Hima Nongspung was taken following fears that the agreement of construction of the road would allow Assam to claim the ownership road at a later occasion.
According to Syiem, the Assam Government is proposing to construct a road from Ranibari-Akhonigira-Newbalakhona-old Banakhola upto Bernangsai while another road would be constructed from Ranibari to Bilpara-Patgang .
“All these villages where the road projects falls under Hima Nongspung,” the KHADC CEM said.
He further informed that he has constituted a committee to be headed by KHADC legal counsel S Kharsyiemlieh to conduct an inquiry into the agreement which was signed by the Syiem of Hima Nongspung with the Assam Government, while adding that the Committee has been given three months to submit its report.
While informing that the local villagers are not aware about this agreement, he said that Syiemiong (Syiem of Hima Nongspung) had signed the agreement on his own.
The KHADC CEM, however, said that he had full respect for the agreement signed by the Chief Ministers of Assam and Meghalaya.
“But the agreement clearly mentioned that developmental work should be carried out only in areas which are five or 10 meters away from the border, but the Assam Government is planning to construct a road which is 10 km inside Meghalaya,” Syiem added.
He further informed that the Council has decided to appoint Madrick Rani as the Acting Syiem of Hima Nongspung in place of Syiemiong for the time being.
According to an agreement signed between Peter Roger Syiemiong, Syiem of the Nongspung Syiemship, and the Assam government on December 3, 2010, approval was given for the construction of a 10-km road on the land and territory falling within the Syiemship.
It may be mentioned that the Assam government, represented by Guwahati West legislator Hemanta Bhuyan and Siddique Ahmed, Assam Minister for Border Areas Development, agreed and confirmed that their government would not stake territorial claim or rights over the portion of road that runs through the Syiemship i.e. from Patgang, Longkhung, Jimrigang and Bakhlapara.
These villages fall well within the territorial and administrative jurisdiction of Meghalaya. Moreover, it was agreed that even after the construction of the road, the traditional chieftain would exercise all rights as currently exercised over administration and all other customary functions.